As an Entrepreneurial Specialist at the UCD Innovation Academy in Dublin Ireland, Alan has curated and facilitated a level 9 accredited programme that offers educators around the world the opportunity to reimagine their teaching practice. Over the past 5 years as Programme Director for The Professional Diploma in Creativity & Innovation in Education, or for short ‘The Entrepreneurial Educators Programme’, I have helped others t0 reimagine education in Ireland and around the globe. As an educator himself, Alan feels a responsibility to assist colleagues across the globe to develop their own creative & innovative entrepreneurial mindsets, help them to re-engage with their vocation, and experience new approaches to teaching & learning. The Entrepreneurial Educators Programme offers educators from all over the world a chance to explore experiential teaching practices and the development of their entrepreneurial mindset which they then bring back to their classrooms with renewed energy, to transform learning for their students. The programme has a scaffolded learning approach over three modules: 1) Creative Thinking & Innovation; 2) Cultivation of an Entrepreneurial Mindset; 3) Leadership for Change. A key aim of the programme is to help participants access their innate ability for independent creative thinking and innovation in its broadest sense, as well as to develop an entrepreneurial mindset by exploring ideas in a multidisciplinary team environment with all three modules delivered through activity-based exercises and interactive challenges at both individual and group level. Alan’s work on the programme has directly engaged 700 educators “worldwide”, and in turn through the ripple effect, impacted over 40,000 students

Rosie Leanard-Kane
Facilitation Specialist
Innovation Academy,  UCD



Prof. Suzi Jarvis
Found Director
Innovation Academy ,  University College Dublin



DR Eileen Diskin
Education Innovation Lead
Innovation Academy ,  University College Dublin



Eleanor Kelly
Head of Strategic Partnerships
Innovation Academy ,  University College Dublin



Jacinta Owens
Education Innovation Lead (EIL)
Innovation Academy ,  University College Dublin



Eina McHugh
Entrepreneurial Specialist
Innovation Academy ,  University College Dublin



Dr. Colman Farrell
Former Head of Programme Development at The UCD Innovation Academy (Now Education Innovator at Screen Ireland)
Screen Ireland ,  Screen Ireland

Alan would like to acknowledge and thank all the participants of the entrepreneurial educators programme over the last 10 years. These educators from around the world made a decision to enroll in a programme, develop new skills, create a community of practice and are now changemakers in their educational institution.

Some recent feedback from alumni of the programme:


"Alan is a master in the art of group facilitation and mentoring for creativity and innovation in education. It was through his guidance on the Entrepreneurial Educators programme I truly discovered the meaning of creativity and all its facets. With Alan’s guidance and support I’ve explored and developed new collaborative opportunities in my teaching practice and research. I now enjoy collaborating with Alan as I progress some of those endeavours. "
Dr Ailish O'Halloran Deputy Provost, Beijing Dublin International College

“I would like to extend my gratitude and congratulations to Alan for the professional manner in which he conducted this course. The level of expertise, information provided, and especially his dedication and passion were truly commendable.
When evaluating the impact of this learning program on me, I realize that it has had a significant personal impact, followed closely by a professional one”
Monica Calin - Rome Education Fund (REF), Romania

“I have learned so much about creativity and innovation which has changed not only my personal and professional perspective, but has the power to positively influence both my pupils and my colleagues as I implement changes in my practice”
Esther Hogan - Primary School Principal