A recent UCC Community-Academic Research Links (CARL) project explored the benefits and barriers/challenges that employers experience in hiring and maintaining employment of people with an intellectual disability. A Master of Social Work student, Emma Callaghan, undertook the research under the supervision of Fiona O’Gorman, School of Applied Social Studies.

A recent University College Cork study on the experiences of Older Gay Men in Cork highlighted that older gay men in Cork are optimistic about ageing.

“While we know from other research that Older Gay Men experience increased levels of loneliness and isolation compared to their straight counterparts; the findings from this research are positive as they suggest that those men who have access to dedicated LGBT+ community services like The Gay Project experience much lower levels of loneliness and isolation” says Michael O Donnell of The Gay Project.

A community group created to empower Irish girls and young women, recently collaborated with University College Cork to research adolescent girls’ experiences of using social media. The Shona Project (https://shona.ie/) named after her sister, was founded by Tammy Darcy to give young women a platform to share their own stories and celebrate the achievements of powerful, successful and inspiring women from Ireland and all over the world.

On Thursday June 18th young people from Cork addressed senior politicians and leaders of statutory and other organisations, presenting their many personal experiences of racial discrimination and abuse, and asked that solutions are developed that will begin to resolve continuing, both overt and subtle, violence. The event was supported by UCC's Africa Society, UCC University of Sanctuary and UCC Fáilte Refugees Society.

University College Cork has conducted the first ever Irish study of the cost of cancer care provided by a community-based cancer support service. There are an estimated 40 voluntary cancer support services across Ireland, this study examines such example to quantify for the first time the true cost of providing these services, which are crucial to many who experience a cancer diagnosis.

A statement from UCC President Professor Patrick O'Shea:

I am saddened and angered by the violence against George Floyd and other people of colour that we have witnessed. I know that members of our UCC community share these sentiments and frustrations. These events have, once again, brought our attention to structures that create and preserve racism. We are committed to dismantling and transforming them. We are not perfect, but we are driven in our resolve to work together, as a community, on these issues. UCC is committed to advancing equality, diversity and inclusion amongst our staff and our students. We stand in full solidarity with our black and minority ethnic community in the wake of the police violence against George Floyd and others witnessed recently in the US.

The Rainbow Club Cork Centre for Autism and a University College Cork Master of Applied Psychology student recently collaborated in a Community Academic Research Links (CARL) research project to investigate the supports provided to over 400 children with autism through the Rainbow Club’s services. Paddy Lynch, a Masters in Psychology student in UCC, undertook a small study as part of his placement experience with the Rainbow Club, under the supervision of Dr Sharon Lambert. The study identified a number of social and personal benefits that children acquire from participation in the Rainbow Club, and identified a strong sense of community that allows children and families to thrive.  

UCC's Sanctuary Scholarships is in its third year and helps address the cultural and financial barriers to accessing third level education faced by asylum seekers and refugees in Ireland. 

University College Cork’s Equality Week 2020 runs until this Friday, and among the events this week is ‘Muslims of UCC’ – an exhibition aimed at countering Islamophobia.

Quercus Creative & Performing Arts Lecture takes place on Wednesday 4th March, 2020 with Rosaleen Molloy, National Director of Music Generation. Rosaleen will be talking about transforming lives through access to performance music education.

Today, Wednesday 19 February, University College Cork will celebrate 10 years since becoming the first university in the world to be awarded a Green Flag from the Foundation for Environmental Education.

UCC has continued to lead the way on environmental and sustainable issues in the decade since it was the first globally to reach this milestone, and is currently ranked the world’s number one University for responsible consumption and production by the Times Higher Education.

UCC Civic and Community Engagement are pleased to work together with Cork Volunteer Centre throughout the year on projects and initiatives, so committee member Prof. Fred Powell was delighted to provide a key note at the recent National Volunteering Network Conference.

Talks on the rise of the far-right, and exploring the concept of sanctuary will be central to UCC’s third annual Refugee Week, which runs until Friday, 7 Feb 2020.

Quercus Active Citizenship Lecture takes place on Monday 27th January, 2020. David Donoghue, former Irish permanent representative to the UN will give a public lecture titled: 'Global action for a better world: the potential of the Sustainable Development Goals'.

Ireland’s first course to examine the modern history of the Irish LGBT+ community has been launched at University College Cork.

A new programme to provide farmers with the skills to work with people with disabilities has been launched by UCC. 

Over 500 delegates will attend a mental health conference in University College Cork on the 13^th & 14^th November.

Over 50 free public and community sector events are planned for Cork, as University College Cork (UCC) launches its inaugural Community Week.

Cork will join 24 other capitals across Europe in celebrating research, with a series of free public events across the city on Friday 27 September.

Calling all families and sports enthusiasts, this Saturday, University College Cork stages its first Festival of Sport.

NEWS: Three CARL-projects with CUBS-students have resulted in the creation of apps for tourism and wildlife purposes.

EVENTS: 17th-18th MAY

Cork Community Art Link and Community Arts Partnership associated with Blue Drum together with The School of Applied Social Studies UCC have developed an all-island initiative to explore, through a range of discussions and deliberations, the power of community arts to promote, advocate for and ultimately deliver positive change.

EVENTS: Last Friday of Each Month 

Cork Alzheimers Café is a safe place for people with Alzheimers and other dementias, their carers, family and friends along with social and health professionals to meet. 

EVENTS: 1st-5th JULY 

Fun-filled, hands-on science camps in the Eureka Centre in UCC. This year we are running two camps; the first from the 1^st to the 5^th July inclusive and the second from the 8^th to the 12^th July inclusive.

EVENTS: 13th MAY 2019

Cork Traveller Women's Network &  the Traveller Equality & Justice Project, (Center for Criminal Justice and Human Rights, University College Cork) invite you to the launch of the Traveller specific resource guide "Know your Rights: Responding to Discrimination in accessing Goods and Services"

EVENTS: 7th-27th FEB 2019

Creating Autism is an exhibition of images and words by Stuart Neilson exploring the processes that mould autistic identity and the portrayal of autism in our shared language, media and public spaces.

EVENTS: 5th APRIL 2019

Children & Adults - You are invited to an evening of discovery and celebration! On 5 April, we will launch the most innovative and creative website on Ireland and the European Union designed for primary school teaching. Children are most welcome to come along. A small reception with finger food and drinks will follow the launch.

EVENTS: 8th MARCH

On International Women’s Day, UCC 98.3FM are delighted to announce the launch of a new radio series created in collaboration with the Development and Alumni Office. The Walk and Talk Series features trail-blazing female graduates, who return to campus to re-trace their footsteps and remember the music that sound-tracked their college days.

NEWS: Our congratulations to the Douglas Matters research partnership - community group, UCC graduates and supervisor on being shortlisted for the Education Award in the Research category at The Education Award Gala in Dublin on Thursday 21st February. 

NEWS: The CARL community-academic research partnership and projects with the Eating Disorder Centre Cork raise awareness about eating disorders and helps connect people with specialist support. This week the research partners came together to promote the value of this type of research and as part of the wider effort to raise awareness during Eating Disorder Awareness Week 2019 #EDAW2019. 

EVENTS: 22nd FEB 2019

Join policymakers, business and social entrepreneurs and academics as they come together to discuss the challenge of maximising the growth potential of peripheral and rural Ireland. Join us in Creative Zone in University College Cork.

EVENTS: 24th JAN 2019

Oxfam Ireland together with Centre for Global Development host public workshop to coincide with the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum and the publication of Oxfam’s annual report on Economic Inequality, 

EVENTS: 21st-25th JAN 2019

An exhibition of artworks in the Glucksman Foyer Space by young refugees, asylum seekers and migrants is just one of over 20 events and activities across UCC as part of Refugee Week.

EVENTS: 12th May 

UCC was honoured to host National Famine Commemoration.

The state ceremony took place on the Quadrangle, University College, Cork on Saturday, 12 May 2018. The National Famine Commemoration was attended by President Higgins and is hosted by An Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney, TD, on behalf of the Government. The ceremony was open to the public.