Sligo County Council hosted a reception at County Hall on 21 April to welcome Mechatronic Engineering students from Kempten University of Applied Sciences, who are currently attending ATU Sligo as part of the long standing Sligo–Kempten Town Twinning programme.
Kempten Mechatronic Engineering Students Welcomed to County Hall as Part of Sligo–Kempten Town Twinning
The reception celebrated the strong educational, cultural and community links between Sligo and Kempten, a partnership that dates back to 1990 and remains one of Sligo’s most active international twinning relationships.
Addressing the gathering, the Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council, Cllr Dónal Gilroy, warmly welcomed the visiting students and faculty to County Hall, highlighting the importance and enduring value of the twinning relationship.
He noted that what began as a civic friendship between two European towns has grown over decades into a vibrant programme of exchanges involving education, culture, sport and community life, strengthening ties between Sligo and Kempten and reinforcing shared European values.
The Cathaoirleach emphasised the significance of the current visit, describing it as a strong example of how town twinning can create real and meaningful opportunities for young people. He also highlighted the partnership between ATU Sligo and Kempten University of Applied Sciences, particularly in the areas of mechatronics, automation and advanced engineering, as a model of successful academic and professional collaboration.
Speaking at the reception, Imelda Harte of the Sligo Town Twinning Committee reflected on the committee’s long-standing work in supporting exchanges between the two towns and fostering lasting friendships through people‑to‑people connections.
Rudie Coppieters, Department of Mechatronic Engineering at ATU Sligo and Coordinator of the exchange between ATU Sligo and Kempten University of Applied Sciences, outlined the educational benefits of the programme and the value of international collaboration in engineering and applied research.
In his address, the Cathaoirleach also spoke about Sligo’s strong innovation and engineering ecosystem, with world‑class companies in med‑tech, manufacturing and technology across the North West, noting that international student exchanges add an important European dimension to the region’s educational and industrial landscape.
He encouraged the visiting students to experience Sligo beyond the academic setting, expressing the hope that they would enjoy the county’s natural beauty, culture and sense of community, and that the friendships formed during their time here would endure long after their return to Germany.
The reception concluded with the signing of the Distinguished Visitors Book and a photocall to mark the occasion.
