Page updated 17 April 2024

Central Pool Academic Appointments

University College Dublin is undertaking a major expansion of academic positions to grow our capacity in areas of strategic importance leading to the creation of the Central Pool Academic Appointments programme. This page outlines the objectives of the programme and methods of appointment.

Objectives

This Central Pool will support the achievement of the following key objectives in the University Strategy.

1. Increase the quality, quantity and impact of our research, scholarship and innovation.
2. Provide an educational experience that defines international best practice.
3. Consolidate and strengthen our disciplines.
4. Conduct strong interdisciplinary research and education in important areas of national and global need.
5. Attract and retain an excellent and diverse cohort of students, faculty and staff.
6. Build our engagement locally, nationally and internationally.
7. Develop and strengthen our University community.

Methods of appointment

There are three modes of appointment and each year UMT will decide the number of posts to be made available through the Central Pool, and the approximate division of these positions between the three modes of the scheme.

Mode 1 - Ad Astra Fellows

The UCD Ad Astra Fellows programme will be advertised annually over the next 5 years. Approximately 65 appointments will be made at Lecturer/Assistant Professor grade each year targeting high potential early-stage academics. Opportunities are available across all academic disciplines represented in UCD. Excellence, creativity and the interest and capacity to engage across disciplines are underpinning values. The UCD Ad Astra Fellows programme is extremely competitive and applicants are expected to have research outputs in the pipeline that will readily transition to research activity within UCD. Further information is available at: www.ucd.ie/adastrafellows/

Mode 2 -Reactive Mode

The reactive mode will be advertised on an ongoing basis on the UCD jobs website and will be open to major portable research grant winners and to excellent academics wishing to move to UCD at their current level. The advertising and publicity campaign for the named annual scheme will also draw attention to these opportunities. Potential applicants will be asked to send their CV to the relevant Head of School in the first instance for consideration. Applications should be reviewed by the school and college in accordance with the policy and then sent to (opens in a new window)cpac@ucd.ie or directly to Nadia Tarpey (opens in a new window)nadia.matulova@ucd.ie for consideration by the UMT Finance, Staff, and Operations Group (FSOG) replacement of Central Pool Appointments Committee (CPAC).

Mode 3 –Strategic Mode

A strategic case may be made for investment in one or more academic posts in a specific academic area, normally as part of the annual planning process and in response to a call for applications made through the President’s bulletin. Submissions may be considered out of cycle in exceptional circumstances. The application must clearly make the strategic case for investment, specifying the number of posts requested, the level of these posts, the rationale for each of the posts in respect to the strategic case, and the School to which each post will be affiliated. Such cases should be discussed with the Director of Strategic Planning, who will forward them on to the President where the circumstances have merit. Completed applications should be sent to (opens in a new window)cpac@ucd.ie