Guests from the world of education, politics, business and industry gathered for the launch of the Plan at the university. The Plan was launched in Dublin later in the evening, supported by the Minister for Education and Science, Batt O’Keeffe TD.
 
The Strategic Plan 2009-2012, which was developed following an extensive process of internal and external consultation, identifies the future direction of UCC over the next three years.  Dr Murphy stated that his vision for the University was captured in the Vision Statement of the Plan “To be a world-class university linking our region to the Globe”.   
 
Acknowledging that the Strategic Plan for 2009-2012 builds upon the successful implementation of previous planning documents, Dr Murphy highlighted many of the achievements of UCC during the last five years. In 2008 the number of invention disclosures from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) funding was 35, the highest of any university in the State; PhD students have increased 50%; International student numbers have grown by a third, peer reviewed research income, for which staff have competed at home and abroad has grown by 38%, the number of patents filed annually by researchers at UCC has grown by 40%; the number of invention disclosures reported annually has doubled (up 265%);  the number of Licences assigned to industry or business has trebled (up 333%) and the frequency with which UCC research is cited rose by 51%. In addition, the total amount spent on research, earned through external competition, in the last academic year, rose by a further €5 million to €78 million.
 
Dr Murphy identified the key steps to be taken to ensure that UCC meets its objectives up to 2012.  “There are many changes to be made, adaptations to existing practices, new approaches to be adopted but we must prioritise certain actions and they are:

• Promote, across all colleges, high quality research-informed and research-led teaching, that meets regional society needs;
• Improve the holistic student experience (academic and extra-curricular);
• Grow lifelong learning programmes to serve regional economy and society;
• Increase flexibility in our courses;
• Grow fourth-level opportunities;
• Enhance research quality across all disciplines;
• Internationalise UCC energetically;
• Diversify our sources of income;
• Promote better leadership in UCC and in society.”

Last year, UCC became the first Irish University to open its complete research portfolio to external peer review. Dr Murphy stated that the recommendations will be implemented across the University. UCC affirmed its intention to seek a “global context for research in the service of both the global and regional community, through establishing formal research alliances with strategically located overseas universities in the coming four years.” The Plan identifies that UCC will grow non-Exchequer research funding to 30% of total research income and that UCC will take a lead role with the County and City Councils, Cork Institute of Technology and others in developing Cork Science Innovation and Technology Park. In compliance with government policy and international trends, UCC will double the number of doctoral graduates by 2012.
 
To increase flexibility in higher education in Munster UCC has committed to work with the other higher education institutions to establish a Regional Learning Network to promote more opportunities for students to transfer between institutions, to minimise overlaps between programmes, in pursuit of efficiency better value for the taxpayer, and to enable more joint development of new programmes.  It is government policy and good international practice to grow the proportion of students at postgraduate level to meet the needs of the “Knowledge Economy”.  “Our target is to grow from the current 19% to 30% in the coming years”, said Dr Murphy.
 
UCC students will live and work in a globalised society, undreamt of 30 years ago.  International education is seen as a national strategic imperative by many countries. UCC today attracts over 2,300 international students from 98 countries. Dr Murphy stated that UCC is committed to international students comprising over 20% of the student population during the next four years.
 
Recognising that UCC graduates are global ambassadors, occupying many positions of influence in politics, the arts and business, with the potential to play a vital role in the UCC agenda for internationalisation, Dr Murphy committed to increase membership of the Graduates Association to 30% of alumni.
 
Dr Murphy identified that UCC will play a major part in servicing the needs of the Irish diaspora and exploit its potential.  In the Strategic Plan UCC commits to developing a coherent strategy for meeting the cultural needs of the distant Irish by re-orienting staff in relevant disciplines in an Institute for Irish Identity.

Visit:  http://www.ucc.ie/en/strategicplanning/strategic/

Pictured at the launch of UCC's Strategic Plan 2009-2012 were UCC President, Dr Michael Murphy with Minister for Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe, TD
 
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