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Learn more about the UCC strategic plan 2023 - 2028 and our 5 goals for Research and Innovation; Student Success; Global Engagement; Our Staff, Our Culture; Our Place, Our Footprint
UCC is a comprehensive research-based globally oriented university with over 24,000 students, 3,200 staff and over 200,000 alumni worldwide. Our student body includes 4,000 international students from 138 countries worldwide. UCC draws its identity from a diverse spread of community, education, health service, industry, arts and heritage relationships. We have developed an extensive range of partnerships worldwide which continue to inform our curriculum and our research.
Securing Our Future: UCC Strategic Plan 2023–2028 has been developed to position the University optimally in an environment of rapid change and reflects our commitment to a sustainable future for our people, planet and university.
UCC connects and empowers people to create knowledge that shapes a sustainable and inclusive world.
Our Mission
UCC's mission is to create and sustain an inclusive environment and culture to enable transformative research and learning for the enrichment of society and stewardship of our planet.
Our Values
It is important to have distinct values for our organisation, so that they can guide everyday behaviours and decision-making. The core UCC values are:
Compassion
Agility
Integrity
Respect
Discovery
Equity
Accountability
Sustainability
Our values are represented in the mnemonic CAIRDEAS, the Irish for 'friendship', as they underpin our relationships and engagement with the local and global UCC community and all our partners.
Strategic Goals
Securing our Future sets out 5 strategic goals, each with a set of approaches and actions that will allow us to achieve them
Deliver impactful research and innovation that addresses global grand challenges in signature areas of excellence through the UCC Futures framework, resulting in a distinctive research reputation.
Goal Owner
Vice President for Research and Innovation
Strategic Approaches to Achieve our Goals
1.1 Implement the UCC Futures framework, informed by smart specialisation and the UN SDGs.
1.2 Improve strategic hiring, retention and development of our people at all career stages, supported by a research ecosystem and career framework.
1.3 Increase PhD enrolment numbers, enhance the research student experience, and embed research and innovation into our curriculum.
1.4 Transform UCC’s research culture through the implementation of engaged research and open research, underpinned by academic integrity, and ethical and responsible practice.
1.5 Create an innovation culture and entrepreneurial campus, underpinned by an ethos of creativity and discovery.
Provide a student-centred, inclusive and digitally enhanced learning environment, a Connected Curriculum and an outstanding student experience, to prepare UCC graduates to make a positive impact.
Goal Owners
Deputy President and Registrar
Vice President for Learning and Teaching
Strategic Approaches to Achieve our Goals
2.1 Implement an academic plan to further embed the Connected Curriculum and lifelong learning, enabling educational and professional success for all students.
2.2 Be the university of choice for postgraduate study in signature areas of excellence and develop pathways to widen access into programmes at all levels.
2.3 Develop and provide excellent equipment, facilities, services and accommodation.
2.4 Support student success, health and wellbeing, informed by the student voice.
2.5 Provide a digitally enabled learning and teaching experience, equitable to all, which incorporates Universal Design1 principles.
Grow UCC's international reach to amplify our global impact.
Goal Owners
Vice President Global Engagement
Director of Business Development and Advancement
Strategic Approaches to Achieve our Goals
3.1 Develop a Global Engagement Plan that drives a strategic approach to internationalisation and strengthens our global profile.
3.2 Significantly improve UCC’s external reputation and brand impact, including the acceleration of UCC’s improved position in the global university rankings.
3.3 Internationalise our curriculum and our research through strategic partnerships and mobility.
3.4 Promote greater diversity among our staff and students in line with our values, including through UCC’s role as a University of Sanctuary.
3.5 Inform, empower and mobilise alumni, friends and partners in support of our ambitions.
Implement a progressive and inclusive People and Culture plan to attract, develop and retain our talent.
Goal Owner
Chief People and Culture Officer
Strategic Approaches to Achieve our Goals
4.1 Create and implement a People and Culture Plan to attract, develop and retain global talent.
4.2 Embed a culture of equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging in UCC, embracing our differences as a key institutional strength.
4.3 Implement a Future of Work model, which is driven by a culture of high performance, professional development, excellence and effective communications.
4.4 Establish career development frameworks and structured programmes to support all categories of staff on their career journey.
4.5 Develop leaders and deliver enhanced and effective performance management that recognises, promotes and rewards strong performance, and that addresses gaps.
Radically reform our practices and use of space and technology to meet our ambitious sustainability and climate action goals.
Goal Owners
Associate Vice President for Sustainability
Sustainability Officer
Director of Buildings and Estates
Director of IT Services
Strategic Approaches to Achieve our Goals
5.1 Develop innovative sustainability solutions for local, national, regional and global impact, and embed sustainability into education, research, operations and recognition initiatives for staff and students.
5.2 Work with local and national bodies to optimise and improve infrastructure, space and unique assets to generate value for UCC and Cork as a destination.
5.3 Enhance our digitally connected campus to enable greater innovation, agility and excellence, transforming how we work and learn.
5.4 Develop our capital programme informed by the UCC Campus Masterplan and our carbon-neutral goals, where existing buildings and grounds are optimised.
5.5 Reimagine ways of working by capitalising on opportunities in our physical and digital environments.
The success of this strategic plan will be dependent on a number of enablers working and interacting across goals, approaches and actions. Some of the enablers are referenced in the goals to ensure accountability and indicate measures of success while others span across the entire strategy.
The key enablers include
People, Wellbeing and Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI)
