2022
UCC receives funding to develop European university alliance
A future pan European university for Cork is a step closer as University College Cork (UCC) was awarded 鈧442,000 in funding to continue to develop a new model of European education together with seven cities across Europe.
UCC together with seven other European universities has since 2020 being developing a European University 鈥 (UNIC) The European University of Post-Industrial Cities. This alliance is creating a European inter-university 鈥榗ampus鈥, where students, staff and researchers enjoy seamless mobility (physical, virtual or blended) to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services at cooperating partner institutions. UCC and Cork city is working with universities and city authorities in Finland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Turkey and Croatia. UNIC represents a community of 230,000 students and 18 million cities and this alliance offers significant potential for regional and national development.
This funding by The Higher Education Authority will strengthen this alliance and support student exchanges, researchers, and engagement. One of the flagship initiatives of the European Union鈥檚 ambitions is to build a European Education Area. European Universities come together to create a European inter-university 鈥榗ampus鈥, where students, staff and researchers enjoy seamless mobility (physical, virtual or blended) to study, train, teach, do research, work or share services at cooperating partner institutions. The alliances foster excellence, innovation and inclusion in higher education across Europe, accelerating the transformation of higher education institutions into the universities of the future with structural, systemic and sustainable impact.
Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris TD, commented: 鈥淭his announcement signals our Government鈥檚 commitment to the ambitious vision of innovative, globally competitive and attractive European Education Area and European Research Area, in full synergy with the European Higher Education Area."
Commenting Professor John O鈥橦alloran, President of UCC stated: 鈥淭hese funds are very welcome and will enable UCC and our European partners in UNIC to provide a potential template for deeper engagement to deliver on the European Universities initiative. Engaging with European Universities remains a core priority for UCC in research and education and important in securing our future for a sustainable European research Area鈥.
Commenting Dr Jean Van Sinderen-Law, Associate Vice-President, Director of UNIC at UCC stated: "UCC greatly welcomes the support and commitment of the Irish Government in enabling it participate in this game changing future of European Higher Education. It is a tribute to the current Government that the impact of such participation on resources is recognised and we greatly welcome it鈥檚 investment in our ability to capacity build to ensure that the Irish higher education system in not left behind."