University College Cork (UCC) recognises the vital role that sabbatical leave plays in advancing academic excellence and fostering a vibrant research culture. Sabbatical leave provides academic staff with the opportunity to engage in sustained periods of research, scholarship, or other academic pursuits that contribute to personal and professional development, nationally and internationally. This focused time away from regular teaching and administrative duties supports the enhancement of research output and impact, while also contributing to the broader academic collaborations and international reputation of the University.

Aligned with the goals of Securing Our Future: UCC Strategic Plan 2023–2028, sabbatical leave is a key component of our commitment to academic development, staff retention, and the cultivation of a high-performance, research-driven environment. It supports strategic objectives such as fostering global partnerships, implementing a forward-thinking model of academic work, and enabling structured career progression.

 By empowering staff to deepen their expertise and pursue innovative projects, sabbatical leave strengthens UCC’s commitment to excellence in both research and teaching, reinforcing our role as a leading institution internationally.

Welcome to the Sabbatical Research Leave Website.  As a research-intensive University UCC values the well-described benefits of sabbatical leave  including  fostering talent, creating leadership, knowledge transfer and network development. It is an excellent way to  broaden the horizons of academics and thus have a positive influence on student learning and experience. 

Sabbatical Research Leave is administered via each College Sabbatical Research Leave Committee and overseen by the University Sabbatical Research Leave Committee which is currently chaired by Prof Alan Kelly