14 Dec 2006

Winter Conferring Ceremonies at University College Cork (UCC), 14 December



Winter conferring ceremonies continued today (14 December 2006) at UCC with 687 students conferred from the Colleges of Science, Engineering & Food Science, Business & Law and Medicine & Health.  There were 247 from the Faculty of Commerce followed by 63 from the Faculty of Engineering and 108 from the Faculty of Law.  Some 223 graduated from the Faculty of Medicine & Health with a further 30 from the Faculty of Food Science & Technology and 16 from the Faculty of Science.
    
The Conferring addresses were given by Professor Denis Lucey, Department of Food Business & Development and Professor Caroline Fennell, Dean, Faculty of Law, UCC.

Among those who graduated were the first group who completed the MBS in Co-Operative and Social Enterprise.  Professor Lucey, who congratulated the students explained: "These graduates have completed their Masters' Degree by E-Learning. In fact this Master's degree represents the topping out of a suite of programmes in the Credit Union, Co-Operative and Social Enterprise area area, all of which can be pursued by distance learning or E-Learning!.  We are delighted that students can enter a Diploma Programme, go on to complete a Bachelor's degree and now go through to complete a Master's degree in this important field - all by distance learning or E-Learning.  I would like to thank the Irish League of Credit Unions for the generous financial support which made the development of these programmes possible and I would appeal to the Minister for Education and the Government to consider some greater support for this type of learning.   Today's MBS graduates have pursued a full-time  course load in the past year.  It is our view that Government support should be linked to the course load that the students are taking, rather than to the time of day when they pursue the course."

Also graduating today were 10 MSc Clinical Pharmacy students who are the first ever graduates from UCC's School of Pharmacy.  The degree, a two-year postgraduate distance learning course, is a joint effort between the School of Pharmacy, UCC, and the Centre for Advanced Clinical Therapeutics (CACT), St James's Hospital, Dublin, with staff drawn from UCC, St James's Hospital, Cork University Hospital (CUH) and Mercy University Hospital (MUH).   Examinations are held in UCC at the end of each academic year.

The students, all qualified pharmacists, attended an initial orientation workshop in the School of Pharmacy.  This was followed by regular provision of course materials for each module and a two-hour teaching session fortnightly via teleconferencing.   Professor Julia Kennedy, School of Pharmacy, UCC explained: "This is the first distance learning MSc course in UK and Ireland using teleconferencing on a regular basis. The globalization of the course enables students and staff to link up from all corners of the globe.  The benefits of teleconferencing are clearly demonstrated with one student from Egypt graduating this year and another from Uganda in this year's intake of students."  Dr Mary Teeling, St James's Hospital,  congratulated the students, praising their commitment and dedication and wished them well in their future careers.

Professor Kennedy referred to the commitment of the Health Services Executive (HSE) to fund five basic grade clinical pharmacist positions in hospitals in the Munster area next year to enable those staff to undertake the MSc in Clinical Pharmacy in UCC.  "This is in line with the HSE's policy to increase its commitment to continuing education and professional development of its employees, including those in the hospital sector. It will help to ensure the continued viability of the course and enable hospital pharmacists from the region to access higher professional training without having to move outside their geographical area" said Professor Kennedy.

344MMcS

 
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