Ulster University has appointed three senior industry specialists as Visiting Professors, linking professional experience in artificial intelligence, executive leadership and workforce development with its teaching and research programmes. The appointments were announced on 16 October and involve clearly defined contributions rather than the creation of three full-time academic posts.
Dr Kathryn Harkin, Head of AI Northern Ireland at NTT DATA, joins the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment. Thom Kenney, formerly Director of AI and Digital Transformation at Google Public Sector, and Gordon Parkes, Executive Director of People & Culture at NIE Networks, join Ulster University Business School.
The titles are non-remunerated, according to the university. The announcement does not identify new research funding or contractual investments by the three companies, and the appointments should not be described as employment moves away from their current positions.
Harkin brings more than 30 years of experience in software engineering, data science and technology leadership. She chairs the advisory board of Northern Ireland’s Artificial Intelligence Collaboration Centre and has held senior positions with businesses including FinTrU and Allstate Northern Ireland.
Her university role will support AIPlus, a research centre of excellence associated with the Derry~Londonderry and Strabane Region City Deal innovation programme. She is expected to contribute to teaching, research and engagement between academic teams and organisations applying AI in real-world settings.
Such engagement can help researchers understand the constraints faced by employers implementing new technologies. Projects may involve questions about data quality, responsible deployment, technical skills and the requirements of highly regulated industries, rather than software development in isolation.
Kenney has worked on technology transformation across private enterprise and government. He previously held senior AI responsibilities at Google Public Sector and US Special Operations Command, giving him experience of introducing technology in complex organisational environments.
He will contribute to the university’s Executive MBA and Executive Leadership programmes, with an emphasis on combining human judgement and AI in management decisions. The role also includes mentoring entrepreneurial activity and helping connect university innovators with commercial and investment networks.
Academic entrepreneurs often require support beyond research and product development. Establishing customer needs, securing finance and managing intellectual property can determine whether a technical idea develops into a sustainable business. The appointment offers access to experience in those areas without guaranteeing that particular ventures will secure funding.
Parkes brings extensive experience of HR and workforce management at NIE Networks. He is a Chartered Companion of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development and has participated in regional advisory work concerning skills and green employment capabilities.
His contributions will include teaching associated with the first cohort of higher-level apprentices taking the BSc Human Resource Management programme. The work is intended to connect professional practice with formal learning for employees developing management and specialist HR skills.
Different types of visiting appointment can vary considerably in the time and activities contributed. Ulster has described specific programmes in which each appointee is expected to participate, but has not supplied a quantified teaching commitment or forecast of student outcomes. Their titles should therefore not be equated with three new permanent professorial posts.
Northern Ireland’s economy includes employers seeking specialist digital skills and managers able to implement organisational change. University engagement with experienced executives can support exposure to commercial problems and improve networks available to students. Measuring the results would require information about research collaborations, mentoring activity, employer participation and the progress of the relevant education programmes.
The three positions address different parts of the relationship between education and business: technical innovation, executive decision-making and workforce development. Their value will be demonstrated through research activity, mentoring and the learning delivered to students and employees, rather than the visiting titles alone.
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