Minister Quinn launches DCU Strategic Plan: Transforming Lives and Societies
Minister for Education & Skills, Mr Ruairí Quinn TD has launched Dublin City University's new Strategic Plan 2012-2017, Transforming Lives and Societies.
As one of the few universities globally to rise from establishment to the top 4% in only 20 years, this Strategy sets out DCU's programme to maintain a path to becoming one of the world's most innovative universities. In a significant departure from conventional models of strategic planning at universities, Transforming Lives and Societies, adopts a rolling process of annual 'review and renew', allowing the university to revise and develop strategic objectives where necessary and a detailed analysis of KPIs benchmarked regularly against both national and international comparators.
In the areas of Transformation, Enterprise, Translation and Engagement, the Strategy sets out key initiatives including:
Transformation
• Support student learning and development by mainstreaming and further developing Generation 21 graduate attributes initiative.
• Develop a 21st Century Digital Campus which will underpin a new Centre for Digital Learning.
• Expand and upgrade the Student Centre to include new social, cultural and enterprise hubs.
Enterprise
• A new Student Accelerator Programme where students will have the opportunity to develop enterprise start-ups.
• Establish DCU as Ireland's leading university for social entrepreneurship.
• Strengthen DCU's reputation as Ireland's most enterprise-engaged university through research, innovation, education, internships and secondments.
Translation
• Foster a culture of innovation within DCU
• A focussed research agenda aligned with global societal and technological challenges.
• Development of a new Innovation Campus in Glasnevin.
• New translational research centres in Conflict Resolution, Health and Cloud Computing.
Engagement
• A focus on the education and innovation needs of the Eastern Corridor region.
• Establish a small, dynamic global network of partner universities in Europe, Asia, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
• Deepen engagement with students of all ages through initiatives such as the Age-Friendly University, the Centre for Talented Youth in Ireland (CTYI) and DCU Online.
Launching DCU's Strategic Plan, the first to be produced by any Irish university since the publication of the Hunt Report (National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030), Minister Quinn said,
"I have every confidence that DCU will achieve the aspirations laid out in their Plan, which so strongly echo my own ambitions for the kind of outward facing system recommended by the National Strategy for Higher Education. I know that the leadership of this university and its strong, committed staff, both academic and non-academic, and its vibrant student body combine to form a significant force for change both within these walls and outwards into wider society".
President of DCU, Professor Brian MacCraith underlined DCU's commitment to maintaining the highest standards of academic excellence in achieving its strategic goals,
"Our new Strategic Plan outlines many important developments that DCU will deliver over the next 5 years, including pioneering initiatives in education, research and innovation, significant new partnerships, and a commitment to optimise the learning and personal development experience of every DCU student."
Initiatives in this area include:
• Support for academic faculty in their professional development, both teaching and research.
• Establish a research-led Institute of Education to integrate teacher education and professional development across the full education continuum.
• Deliver on ambitious research goals for all academic unites in order to reinforce our reputation as a research-initiative university.