DPR News
UCC launches transformational Academic Strategy
Today, University College Cork's first every Academic Strategy was launched by Deputy President & Registrar, Professor John O'Halloran. The new strategy aims to transform the UCC learning experience and has, at its heart, a Connected Curriculum.
The UCC Academic Strategy outlines a new and holistic approach to education that champions the capacity for independent thinking and enquiry, equipping students with the skills required for our rapidly evolving labour market, society and environment.
Speaking at the launch of the Academic Strategy, UCC’s Deputy President and Registrar Prof. John O’Halloran said “Sixty percent of the jobs that our young people will have don’t even exist yet, according to the World Economic Forum, so our graduates need to be flexible as well as hard-working and skilled.” He went on to say “The strategy outlines our vision for a Connected University with a renewed academic mission that will connect our research excellence to our curriculum, and connect our university, staff and students to a dynamic workplace and skillsets required for the future.”
The new UCC Academic Strategy builds on our strong foundation for delivery and success. Set against the backdrop of a doubling in student numbers over the last decade to over 21,000, a 93% student retention rate, and being ranked in Europe’s top 50 universities for learning and teaching, the strategy outlines a number of priorities and initiatives to ensure UCC remains at the cutting edge and a top ranked global university. It recognises the innovation in course development at UCC and maintains a strong focus on employability; current employment rates of UCC graduates are 94%. Sustainability, inter and trans-disciplinarity as well as civic and community engagement are core to the Connected Curriculum. Reforming academic governance and ensuring effective assessment have also been identified as key policy areas in the Academic Strategy.
UCC President Patrick O’Shea has welcomed the Academic Strategy stating “We want to challenge students to be the best that they can be and to create more value than they consume as scholars, entrepreneurs and citizens. Our Connected University will positively impact society locally, nationally and internationally. Through innovation, dedication and our tradition of independent thinking, we believe this Academic Strategy will successfully lead UCC into the future of education.”
For more on this story contact:
Dr. Sandra Irwin, Deputy President & Registrar's Office, 021 4904874 or s.irwin@ucc.ie