UCD battles to maintain rankings position as funding cuts continue to impact
Posted September 22, 2016
The publication of the THE World University Rankings 2017 shows UCD to have fallen 29 places to 205. In Ireland, this places UCD ahead of RCSI (ranked 220) and NUIG (ranked 243). TCD is not currently ranked due to an error in data submitted to the Times Higher Education world university rankings data portal by TCD. The other Irish universities are ranked outside the 201- 250 band.
Responding to the publication of the THE world university rankings, the President of University College Dublin, President Andrew Deeks said:
“As I stressed when the QS and FT rankings were published earlier this month, UCD has consistently performed in areas under our control, and these rankings show that we have maintained strong output against a backdrop of falling State investment.
UCD has again performed considerably better in productivity measures than in the student:faculty ratio, where our position has deteriorated. These results demonstrate that we are already delivering excellent value for funding provided by the Exchequer. It is worth noting that the Exchequer funding now accounts for less than 50% of our total budget.
In my view, this position is an endorsement of the quality of faculty and staff here, and reflects our academic and research performance and our international outlook. Visitors to the University regularly comment on the dynamism, ambition and enthusiasm they experience here. This attitude is very much part of what we are.
We have done our best to maintain performance despite a national funding system that is broken, but the cumulative effect of the lack of investment has now reached a tipping point. I will continue to push for political support and adequate investment in the Irish university sector. We have shown what we can do in constricted circumstances. I have no doubt whatsoever about what we can achieve for our students and our society with the proper level of investment.”