Innovation in Action in UCC: Earning Through Effective Learning

18 Oct 2023

Throughout University College Cork, there is an ethos of creating an environment in which academic excellence can be combined with opportunities for personal development. The Quercus Talented Students’ Programme aims to do just this, by supporting and promoting excellence in academia, sport, creative and performing arts, active citizenship, and innovation/entrepreneurship. Quercus awards up to three scholarships each year to students registered on an undergraduate/level 8 programme, who demonstrate an exceptional level of excellence in the innovation and/or entrepreneurial space.

One such student is Alex Linehan, Quercus Innovation/Entrepreneurship scholar and a final year Commerce student from Cork City who credits the idea behind his business – NextStepUni - as the reason he attends UCC today. NextStepUni offers online courses, tailored to increase retention of information and understanding, while reducing stress for Junior and Leaving Certificate students. Alex initially came up with the idea for NextStepUni when he was studying for his Leaving Cert. He admits that he struggled with studying for his Junior Cert, barely scraping a pass in most subjects. He decided when commencing the Leaving Cert cycle that he wanted to change trajectory.

“I realised in 5^th year that I needed to make a change. I wanted to go to college and on the current track that I was on, it wasn’t going to be possible.”

Alex took it upon himself to read papers on a variety of learning styles that he had not yet engaged with - effective learning, active recall, spaced repetition and interleaving. He learned that the methods he (and the majority of students) had been using to study such as underlining, re-reading and cramming, were ineffective and merely luring him into a false sense of fluency whereby he could recall the information for a day or two but after that, it was gone.

Through utilising the study techniques that he had read about, alongside learning about developing a growth mindset, Alex not only completed his Leaving Cert, but received the highest Leaving Cert grades in his school year.  

“It doesn’t really matter where you’re from or what school you go to when it comes to doing well (in your Leaving Cert). It’s about having the correct mindset, using the right study techniques and realising that you can get there. And I got there.”

Alex commenced studying for his BComm degree in UCC in September 2020. A natural entrepreneur, Alex wanted to have a business ‘side-project’ while at college. After reading a book that inspired him to find his niche and to build his business around what he does best, Alex realised that his business idea was under his nose the whole time. Thus, NextStepUni was born. Alex began to hold one-to-one sessions with students, sharing his knowledge about effective learning techniques and developing a growth mindset.  With his ultimate goal being to help students like himself, for every session Alex was paid for, he gave a free session to a student in a disadvantaged area.

“I wanted to level the playing field. I know when I was in Leaving Cert, I didn’t have the money to pay for a session like this. I could have used it had I not read the papers myself.”

To date, Alex has helped close to 400 students through NextStepUni since it’s official launch in February 2022. He aims to reach 2000 students by end of this school year through the launch of his online courses ‘Learning to Learn for JC/LC Students’. Moving his business online means that Alex can help more students to reach their potential in the State Exams.

When asked what entrepreneurship meant to him, Alex’s answer was no surprise: making a difference and a big impact.

“The biggest motivator for me is knowing that even if I can help one student go from second to third level education in Ireland, I might change their life, their children’s lives. My putting this work in now is going to help a lot more people in the long run.”

Alex decided to apply to the Quercus programme as he wanted to avail of the resources available to scholars. He credits the Quercus staff as being skilled and versed in helping young entrepreneurs, describing the opportunity as “something he just couldn’t pass up.” As part of a partnership established last year between Quercus and IGNITE, Alex has also been able to access the support of IGNITE workshops, seminars, guest speakers and mentors.  

For any young aspiring entrepreneurs, Alex simply advises to start on your business idea. Following a few failed attempts at starting up a business, he realises the importance of failing in the entrepreneurial process. He also encourages students interested in entrepreneurship to seek out and embrace every opportunity presented to them during their time in third level education.

“Network and link up with people. Enter into competitions and pitching sessions and get experience. While you’re in college, take all the opportunities that you can.”

Alex and the other Quercus Innovation and Entrepreneurship scholars are one of many examples of innovative activity taking place throughout the UCC Campus. If you are engaging in innovative activity in UCC, or know of a colleague/student who is adding to the entrepreneurial and innovation space on campus, we would love to hear from you! Please email snolan@ucc.ie to get in touch and to be featured in our Innovation in Action series.