Posted: 10 November 2006
UCD at the forefront of change in Irish higher education, says Minister Hanafin
The Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, TD, gave the keynote address at the recent UCD Foundation Day Dinner in the O'Reilly Hall, Belfield. In her address, the Minister spoke of Ireland needing strong universities and a strong wider network of support for them now more than ever before.
Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin TD, delivering her keynote address at the UCD Foundation Day Dinner at O'Reilly Hall, UCD, on the 3rd November 2006
“The case for seeking to enhance the standing and quality of Ireland's higher education system is absolutely compelling” said Minister Hanafin. “It can be made from a range of broad social and cultural perspectives. It can be made in the interests of promoting active citizenship. It can be made in the interests of supporting every individual to fulfill their personal potential in life. And it can be made for the very critical importance of higher education in supporting Ireland's economic development objectives in the global knowledge era."
The Minister stated that supporting reform and development in higher education was a key policy priority for the Government. She paid tribute to the role of UCD in promoting reform within the sector. "A high performing third and fourth level system is an essential element of our national infrastructure as we seek to lay the foundations for future success. UCD has been to the forefront of third level institutions in accepting the need to respond to that challenge. It has played a leadership role in promoting reform through impressive example."
"For instance, the UCD Horizons initiative, which commenced last year, provides an innovative modularised and semesterised curriculum that allows students greater choice and flexibility in deciding on the pathways they take through their chosen programmes of study. It has become synonymous with student choice, flexibility and educational innovation and has already had a major impact on conventional thinking in relation to undergraduate programme formation", the Minister said.
Minister Hanafin also referred to UCD's growing international reputation as a leading research location as a result of its impressive success in securing Government funding for major collaborative research projects. "The Dublin Molecular Medicine Centre, the Programme for Human Genomics, the Irish Clinical Research Infrastructure Network, the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research and Training (NIBRT) and the National Digital Research Centre form a collective infrastructure for cutting edge scientific research that places UCD researchers and students at the very forefront of international efforts to expand the frontiers of our knowledge. This is complemented by a continuing commitment to excellence in humanities and social sciences research exemplified by the Geary Institute, which is establishing a significant relevance internationally," said Minister Hanafin.
"If Ireland's ambitions for social and economic success are to be met in the complex and fast changing world of the 21st century, we need ambitious and innovative thinkers. We need leaders in higher education who will not shirk a challenge. We need universities like UCD that are prepared to match our national ambitions and we need a wider environment of support for our leading universities so that they have the freedom and resources to achieve for us," Minister Hanafin concluded.
Two UCD Graduates Awarded Outstanding Achievement Awards
At the UCD Foundation Day Dinner, UCD graduates, Ciara O'Brien and Ciaran Lawlor were presented with Outstanding Achievement Awards.
Ciara O'Brien and Ciaran Lawlor winner's of the outstanding achievements awards pictured at the UCD Foundation Day Dinner at O'Reilly Hall UCD, on the 3rd November 2006.
Ciaran Lawlor was honoured for his outstanding contribution to UCD student societies, particularly for his work in promoting debating. He was the driving force behind UCD’s successful bid to host the World Universities Debating Championships in 2005 – the largest student event in the world outside of sport.
Ciara O'Brien was honoured for her outstanding achievements in sport, having achieved some 103 Caps for Ireland in Senior Hockey. In addition to her playing abilities, she also played a pivotal role in the development of the UCD Ladies Hockey Club.