From welcome to progression - fostering first-year success: A case study from AnSEO and the Teaching and Learning Unit at Munster Technological University

Growing concerns around student retention and progression rates in Ireland have sharpened institutional focus on the first-year experience and the need for targeted, transition-focused support. This case study examines how Munster Technological University’s (MTU’s) award-winning teams, AnSEO (an Irish language term for ‘here’), the Student Engagement Office, and the Teaching and Learning Unit (TLU), are shaping first-year student success. Drawing on MTU’s post-merger context, the paper outlines how AnSEO and TLU have evolved from small, agile teams within the Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) to become key drivers of student success practice across the University. Together, the units deliver a coordinated suite of initiatives that integrate academic support, coaching, skills development, student–staff partnership, structured feedback, peer-led engagement, employability development, and teaching and learning innovation. These initiatives are grounded in best practice in student engagement, transition pedagogy, and academic coaching. There is also a strong emphasis on belonging, confidence, and progression during the crucial first year of study. The paper reflects how two integrated teams develop scalable and adaptable teaching, learning, assessment, and student engagement (TLASE) strategies during a period of institutional transformation. It concludes by identifying practical lessons for practitioners and institutional leaders seeking to enhance first-year student belonging and success, particularly within diverse and evolving tertiary education settings.