University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin: Encyclopedia - University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin - more commonly University College Dublin (UCD) - is Ireland's largest university, with over 20,000 students. It is located in Dublin, capital of Ireland.

The university is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland. The terms of the Universities Act, 1997 were used to rename the university after resolution by the Senate of the National University of Ireland.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - History

The university can trace its history to 1854 as the Catholic University of Ireland, the modern university recieved its charter in 1908.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - Origins

The university was founded in December 2, 1908 by Royal Charter, as University College, Dublin a constituent college of the National University of Ireland. The university college is the lineal successor of the earlier Catholic University of Ireland founded on 18 May 1854 and lead by its rector Cardinal John Henry Newman, which in 1882 first became known as University College Dublin as part of the Royal University of Ireland.

Confusingly University College, Dublin was not part of the University of Dublin whose only college is University College Dublin's rival, Trinity College, Dublin. It was proposed during the late 1960s that the two colleges would merge under a newly reconstituted "University of Dublin", but this did not happen (see University of Dublin). Additionally in the early 1970s there was a proposal for university reorganisation to see the university college created as a university in its own right.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - Move to Belfield

In the 1950s, University College, Dublin began a move from its Earlsfort Terrace campus, the previous headquarters of the Royal University of Ireland, to a new 350 acre (1.4 km²) park campus at Belfield in a suburb on the south side of Dublin, this was part of a plan which started in the mid 1930s which was to encourage the creation of a modern campus university style and took several decades to implement. By 2003, most of the university had moved out to Belfield. One of its previous locations, the Royal College of Science in Merrion Street is now the location of the renovated Irish Government Buildings, where the office of the Taoiseach (prime minister) is located. University College, Dublin also had a site in Glasnevin for much of the last century, the Albert Agricultural College, which is now part of Dublin City University.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - UCD Dublin

The new corporate logo of the university which incorporates the words UCD Dublin, has been the subject of some controversy since its introduction in August 2005 at a cost of €30,000. The main bone of contention seems to be the name, thus creating the confusing, University College Dublin, Dublin and also creating the false impression of a name change. It appears the inclusion slipped passed all levels during the decision process and has been compared to other such acronym-related mishaps as ATM machine or PIN number, often referred to as RAS syndrome.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - Reputation

UCD is highly regarded internationally with many of its graduates going on to post-graduate studies at other top international universities, particularly in the United States and Britain. Among its most accomplished alumni are the writers James Joyce, Flann O Brien, Marina Carr, Conor McPherson, John McGahern, Frank McGuinness, Emma Donoghue, former Goldman Sachs chairman Peter Sutherland (who was also chairman of BP and was previously head of the WTO, European Union Commissioner and the Attorney-General of Ireland), Unilever chairman Niall Fitzgerald, former Heinz chairman Dr. Sir Tony O'Reilly, the fourth President of India V V Giri, and four of the last five taoisigh (Irish prime ministers): John Bruton, Albert Reynolds, Dr. Garret Fitzgerald and Charles Haughey. The current taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, attended UCD as a student but did not graduate.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - The Students Union

The Students' Union (UCD SU) in the college has been an active part of campaigns run by the National Union, USI, and has played a highly significant role in the life of the college since its foundation in 1974. The Union has also taken significant stances on issues of human rights that have hit the headlines in Ireland and around the world, particularly in becoming the first institution in the world to implement a boycott of Coca-Cola products on the basis of alleged human and trade union rights in Colombia. All full and part time undergraduate and postgraduate students of UCD are members of the Students Union. Its main Governing Body is the Union Council which meets every 2 weeks during term. Council membership consists of the Five Sabbatical officers the executive officers and class representatives elected by union members in their respective constituencies. The five sabbatical officers are involved in the day to day running of the union.. Their term commences in the month of July after the elction and lasts for 12 months. Sabbatical Elections take place in February of each year. Sabbatical officers are usually students who have completed their degree course or have taken a year out.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - UCD Horizons

At the beginning of the 2005/2006 academic year, UCD introduced the Horizons [1] programme, which completely semesterised and modularised all undergraduate courses for incoming first years. Previously, new students chose from a specific set of subjects in their individual programme courses. Under the Horizons programme, new undergraduate students have greater choice in what exactly they study in their programme. Under the new programme students choose ten modules from their specific subject area and two other modules, which can be choosen from any other course programme across the entire university system. For example, a student studying first year business as their primary degree programme can also choose one module (or two) from the first year law programme (subject to space available and timetable constraints, etc.). While the university authorities believe that Horizons and modularisation are the way forward for UCD, many students have raised their voices in criticism of the new system. In particular, continuing undergraduate students have called for more time and consultation into the feasability of complete modularisation (of all years) which is scheduled to take place by 2006 or 2007.

University College Dublin - National University of Ireland Dublin - Related companies

The most prominent university-related company is the IE Domain Registry; many of the university's academics continue to sit on the board of directors. The university originally gained control of the .ie domain in the late 1980s.

There are a number of related companies, many concentrated as the NovaUCD initiative, to commercialise research results and opportunities; many of these reflect the university's expertise in the life sciences. These companies include Cytrea, a chemistry group that specialises in cyclodextrin formulations for pharmaceuticals. Analytical Drug and Data (ADD) has over 25 years experience in brain research. Celtic Catalysts is involved in chiral chemistry research. Enzolve is a enzyme and protein commercialisation group; Ildana Biotech is a joint group with Dublin City University. Berand concentrates on the development of new chemicals for disease treatment.

See also

• Education in the Republic of Ireland
• List of universities in the Republic of Ireland

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