2009 Press Releases
Developments in University Cooperation
11.03.2009
University College, Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) have this afternoon (March 11th 2009) announced some details of their plans for enhanced cooperation. The announcement was endorsed by the Taoiseach and senior Ministers.
11.03.2009
University College, Dublin (UCD) and Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) have this afternoon (March 11th 2009) announced some details of their plans for enhanced cooperation. The announcement was endorsed by the Taoiseach and senior Ministers.
UCC welcomes the commitment of both universities to work more closely together in accordance with Government policy. We welcome support for sectoral collaboration from the highest levels of Government, particularly if it will be forthcoming for all initiatives of this kind throughout the country. We are heartened by today’s confirmation that there is no departure from the successful policies of the past decade whereby investment in higher education is made available through open competition and is internationally peer reviewed.
Fears have been expressed that this development poses a threat to UCC and to our region. As long as there is a level playing field (and there are no reliable indications to the contrary) these fears are unfounded. Among Irish universities, UCC’s performance over the past ten years has been second to none. Since the inception of the PRTLI Programme, UCC has won the single largest share of available funding. UCC (including the Tyndall National Institute) has equalled the best in competition for funding from Science Foundation Ireland. We have developed several collaborative industry relationships in research, critical to attracting and sustaining international investment in the region, and underpinned by Government investment in science at UCC.
Excellence in teaching, learning and extracurricular formative experiences, is also a critical university contribution to personal, economic and social development. The results of a survey of student experience, by the International Graduate Insight Group in the UK, in 2008, among 87,000 international students in 94 Universities testified to the fact that UCC is second to none.
It is the world outside of Ireland that provides the greatest threats and opportunities for our country and universities today. The Government and the Irish Universities Association are ad idem on the singular importance of collaboration, complementarity and cohesion for the Irish universities in determining Ireland’s success. All of us in UCC are committed to ensuring that our contribution to national capacity will be exemplary.
Ní neart go chur le chéile.
Michael B. Murphy
President
Fears have been expressed that this development poses a threat to UCC and to our region. As long as there is a level playing field (and there are no reliable indications to the contrary) these fears are unfounded. Among Irish universities, UCC’s performance over the past ten years has been second to none. Since the inception of the PRTLI Programme, UCC has won the single largest share of available funding. UCC (including the Tyndall National Institute) has equalled the best in competition for funding from Science Foundation Ireland. We have developed several collaborative industry relationships in research, critical to attracting and sustaining international investment in the region, and underpinned by Government investment in science at UCC.
Excellence in teaching, learning and extracurricular formative experiences, is also a critical university contribution to personal, economic and social development. The results of a survey of student experience, by the International Graduate Insight Group in the UK, in 2008, among 87,000 international students in 94 Universities testified to the fact that UCC is second to none.
It is the world outside of Ireland that provides the greatest threats and opportunities for our country and universities today. The Government and the Irish Universities Association are ad idem on the singular importance of collaboration, complementarity and cohesion for the Irish universities in determining Ireland’s success. All of us in UCC are committed to ensuring that our contribution to national capacity will be exemplary.
Ní neart go chur le chéile.
Michael B. Murphy
President