01 Oct 2005

University College Cork is “University of the Year” 2005-2006

University College Cork (UCC) has been selected as Ireland ’s University of the Year by The Sunday Times for the second time in three years.

This prestigious award reflects UCC's outstanding reputation as a centre of excellence for teaching and research and recognises specifically success in research funding which positions the University as the leading research institution in Irish third level education. The award also celebrates UCC’s successful Access Programme, the high calibre of students choosing the university, the outstanding quality of the student experience at UCC and the award-winning Glucksman Gallery.

The award is based on the fact that University College Cork’s overall performance outstripped the other universities in key areas. This is reflected in the most recent statistics showing that UCC’s gross income from peer-reviewed research grew year-on-year, by 20 per cent to €55 million in 2004, and that the University has been awarded grants worth €80 million by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) for more than 30 separate research programmes.  The University also consistently participates successfully in EU Framework programmes and approximately 25 per cent of its peer-reviewed research income is derived from EU projects. 

UCC now has a population of approximately 16,000 students, including 3,000 postgraduate students.  Teaching and research is delivered across 60 academic departments.  Some 2,000 international students, representing 75 countries and five continents, have chosen to study at UCC. In addition approximately 2,000 students are engaged in Adult and Continuing Education programmes.

Of the 3,000 first year students in 2005, in excess of 60 per cent will be starting a programme that was their first choice in the CAO system, unmatched by any other Irish university.

UCC has made major progress in developing a successful access programme.  Seventeen per cent of all admissions to undergraduate courses at the University have non-standard entry qualifications, including: mature students, students with disabilities, students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and transfer students from the FETAC and HETAC sectors.  UCC was the first Irish University to accept FETAC qualifications for entry.

UCC’s ongoing capital programme of investment in facilities for teaching, learning and research, has led to a number of strategic developments.  An investment of €44 million at the Brookfield Health Sciences Campus will provide state-of-the-art facilities for students and teachers in the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery, and Clinical Therapies. A new €22 million School of Pharmacy will open shortly.  Moreover, the €32 million extension to the Boole Library, on which work has commenced, will provide significant additional facilities for postgraduate students.

The recently-opened Glucksman Gallery is a major addition to the UCC campus as well as being a national and regional centre of culture. The excellence of the Gallery has already been recognised in architectural and design awards in the national and international media, and visitor numbers exceeded 70,000 in the year since the Gallery opened.

The Sunday Times noted that: 

• UCC has moved up to second place on this year’s Sunday Times Irish University league table (2005). 
• UCC easily leads the entire Irish tertiary sector in terms of research income per academic at €55m in total funding last year.
• UCC has excellent retention rates and its students have excellent employment prospects.
• The quality of the UCC student experience is excellent.
• The calibre of student that UCC is attracting is amongst the  best in the entire Irish third level sector and the average CAO points for entry is up again this year (2005).
• UCC has good new course development particularly in healthcare and biotechnology.
• UCC’s Access Programme is working successfully and UCC was the first Irish University to permit FETAC qualifications for entry. 
• UCC’s large scale investment programme in upgrading facilities has given it a modern campus while retaining its historical character and charm.
• UCC is home to the award-winning Glucksman Gallery.

121MMcS