The Education Awards 2026 judging panel welcomes Dr Joe Collins, Director of Further Education and Training at the Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI), whose career has been shaped by a fundamental belief that education exists to enable students to engage with their own lives and to flourish across multiple domains.

Collins came to his current national role through faculty leadership at SETU, where he headed both the Faculty of Business and Humanities and, before that, the Faculty of Lifelong Learning.

That grounding in adult and continuing education has defined his professional outlook — one oriented towards removing the structural and cultural obstacles that keep non-traditional learners from accessing higher education.

He works across a wide range of statutory, voluntary, community, and industry bodies, and is a recognised voice in Irish policy debates on adult education and lifelong learning.

His appointment to the panel brings a dimension to the judging process that goes beyond institutional metrics. Collins evaluates educational endeavour through the lens of human agency — asking not only what was achieved, but what was made possible for the people at the centre of it.

That perspective is particularly pertinent to an awards programme that spans further education, professional training, and higher education in equal measure.

Outside his formal responsibilities, Collins has channelled his energies into communities and learner groups that mainstream education has historically underserved.

His advocacy for widening participation is not rhetorical; it is embedded in the practical work of building pathways and partnerships that extend the reach of learning into places it does not always go.

The Education Awards 2026 ceremony takes place on 16 April at the Johnstown Estate, Enfield, Co. Meath.

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