University of Limerick and software company MongoDB have announced a new scholarship that will fund a ‘bold initiative’ promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in software engineering.
The purpose of the scholarship, which will be funded by MongoDB, is to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in software engineering for students on UL’s innovative Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) programme.
ISE is a transformational teaching and research initiative that aims to rethink and disrupt computer science education. Students learn by doing, working on projects and in paid residencies at some of ISE’s more than fifty partner organisations. They will also achieve a Masters’ qualification in four years.
MongoDB has tens of thousands of customers in over 100 countries with its international headquarters in Dublin. The software company has a mission to empower innovators to create, transform, and disrupt industries by unleashing the power of software and data.
Built by developers, for developers, its developer data platform is a database with an integrated set of related services that allow development teams to address the growing requirements for today’s wide variety of modern applications, all in a unified and consistent user experience.
The scholarship of €10,000 will assist recipients with tuition fees, books and other educational expenses, and will specifically support diversity within the ISE programme across each of the diversity characteristics set out in the Equal Status Act.
Speaking about the importance of the scholarship and the impact on diversity within software engineering, Professor Stephen Kinsella, ISE Co-Director and Head of Department of Economics at the Kemmy Business School in UL, explained: “Immersive Software Engineering is about doing software engineering differently. That means many things, and core to the basic idea of ISE is needing different people, from different backgrounds, who think differently, to work and learn together in a shared space to help create the future.
“Promoting diversity and inclusion in software engineering and the Information and Communication Technology sector are key elements of both the MongoDB and ISE missions, with both groups strongly committed to ensuring careers and education within the sector are accessible to all.
“The scholarship also aligns with UL’s overarching Equality, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, in that it promotes equality of access to higher education,” Professor Kinsella added.
Rita Rodrigues, Director of Developer Relations at MongoDB, said: “We are so proud to support and fund UL’s new Immersive Software Engineering scholarship—a bold initiative promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion in software engineering.
“At MongoDB, I have experienced firsthand the strength and innovation that comes from diverse perspectives. We don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion; we live it every day. It’s in our culture, our policies, and in the opportunities we provide. This partnership with UL underscores our dedication to building a technology industry that embraces diverse voices.
“As someone who has personally benefited from and contributed to our inclusive culture, I am thrilled to extend these values and opportunities to the next generation of innovators, empowering them to create groundbreaking solutions with software and data.”