Donal McAlister, International Affairs Manager at South East Technological University's Carlow Campus, has been confirmed as a member of the judging panel for the Education Awards 2027, bringing over 25 years of experience in international recruitment and partnership development to the evaluation of excellence across the Irish education sector.

McAlister is responsible for international student recruitment, partnership and pathway development, strategic planning and policy, and the establishment of transnational education projects, with a particular focus on China. That remit places him at the centre of how Irish higher education engages with global markets, and gives him a practical understanding of how institutions attract, support and retain students from across the world while building lasting academic partnerships.

His work on transnational education reflects a long-standing commitment to extending the reach of Irish colleges and universities beyond national borders. That experience is directly relevant to a programme that recognises education innovation, student success and strategic growth across institutions of very different scale and mission, and equips him to assess entries with a clear view of what effective internationalisation looks like in practice.

McAlister joins a panel that includes Triena Delany of Mary Immaculate College, Dr Mary Kelly of Hibernia College, Allison Kenneally of South East Technological University, Professor Rachael Langford of Cardiff Metropolitan University, Paul Mullally of Education Lighthouse, Ciarán Ó Hannracháin of Atlantic Technological University, Martin O'Connell of UCC-Tyndall, Dr Kushan Rathnasekara of the University of Kelaniya, Patrice Twomey of the University of Limerick, and Shauna Whyte of South East Technological University.

Entries for the 2027 cycle are now open, with submissions closing on 18 December 2026. The Education Awards 2027 ceremony will take place on 15 April 2027, with finalists to be announced on 11 February 2027.

For the complete judging panel, category criteria, and past winners, visit the Education Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and insights.