Dublin City University

Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU; Irish: Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin in 1975, it enrolled its first students in 1980, and was elevated to university status (along with the NIHE Limerick, now the University of Limerick) in September 1989 by statute.

In September 2016, DCU completed the process of incorporating four other Dublin-based educational institutions: the Church of Ireland College of Education, All Hallows College, Mater Dei Institute of Education and St Patrick's College.

As of 2025, the university has 20,377 students and over 110,000 alumni. There were 1,690 staff in 2019. Notable members of the academic staff included the late former Taoiseach, John Bruton and "thinking" Guru Edward de Bono. Bruton accepted a position as Adjunct Faculty Member in the School of Law and Government in early 2004 and De Bono accepted an adjunct Professorship in the university in mid-2005.

The founding president of the institution was Danny O'Hare, who retired in 1999 after 22 years' service. After a period of administration by an acting president, Albert Pratt, Ferdinand von Prondzynski was appointed and continued as president for a full ten-year term, which ended in July 2010. Brian MacCraith was appointed next and was succeeded in 2020 by the current president, Daire Keogh.

History

The institution was created in 1975, on an ad hoc basis, and on 18 June that year Liam Mulcahy was made acting director of the institution, and a day later the first governing body met. Danny O'Hare became director in 1977, and presided over the institution, then based at Mount Street in central Dublin, for the next 22 years. It was intended at the early stage that the institution become the unified structure under which the colleges of what later became Dublin Institute of Technology would unite, but by 1978 it became apparent that this would not be the case and instead an independent institution developed with a distinct identity and mission.

In 1979, the institution was located on an 344,000 m2 (85 acres) site 5 km (3.1 mi) from the city centre, just north of Dublin City Council's Albert College Park; the Albert College Building and the neighbouring President's Residence, are the only significant buildings remaining from before this period. The Henry Grattan building was the first new building, completed in 1981, along with the adjoining restaurant, and many buildings have been added since, to form the university campus.

In 1986 the International Study Group on Technological Education was set up to examine the future of the National Institute for Higher Education at Dublin and Limerick, and in its report stated that it should be elevated to university status, with naming:

...the NIHE Dublin having the title Dublin City University or the University of Leinster.

Ultimately the title "Dublin City University" was chosen and this was confirmed by the Dublin City University Act of 1989.

The early focus of the institution was, in particular, on science and technology, although it has also had from the start a business school. It later developed a presence also in the performing arts and in the humanities. DCU is also famous for its programme of work placement or INTRA (INtegrated TRAining), which was the first such programme in Ireland.

DCU has been providing Irish and foreign adults with flexible access to higher education for over 35 years. In 1982 the National Distance Education Centre was located at DCU and for many years offered programmes in the traditional "distance education" mode of delivery. It changed to Oscail – DCU Online Education in 2004 to reflect the reality that its programmes were increasingly designed with large elements of online support. In 2013, DCU launched the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL) with the Open Education Unit as part of the new institute. This Unit manages online courses and degree programmes offered to Irish residents and students around the world through DCU Connected.

About

Campuses

The university has five campuses:

• The main campus, usually described as being in Glasnevin but adjacent to Whitehall and Ballymun too
• Sports campus (St Clare's)
• DCU Innovate Hub campus, Glasnevin
• St Patrick's campus in Drumcondra
• All Hallows campus, Drumcondra

Main campus

The total area of the main campus is approximately 202,000 m2 (50 acres) and is bordered by Collins Avenue, Albert College Park, Ballymun Road, Hillside Farm and St. Aidan's School. A further 40,000 m2 (9.9 acres) (including Elmhurst House) situated along Griffith Avenue have been acquired. Entrances to the main campus are from Ballymun Road, to the west, and Collins Avenue, to the north.

St Clare's (Sports) campus

There are 142,000 m2 (35 acres) at the St Clare's campus on the west side of Ballymun Road; this part of the campus also includes the Sports Pavilion.

DCU Innovate Hub campus

A 10-acre site with 18,000 sq. m. of buildings, north of central Glasnevin, DCU Innovate Hub is home to 35 companies employing 350 staff who are developing products in connected health, clean energy and Internet of Things (IoT) technology.

St Patrick's campus

The grounds, including a sports field at the rear, of the former St Patrick's Teaching Training College in central Drumcondra, north of the River Tolka, form a distinct campus. The majority of DCU Institute of Education activities are located on this campus.

All Hallow's campus

The lands and buildings of the former All Hallows College (including Drumcondra House) on Grace Park Road in residential Drumcondra form another DCU campus. This includes a burial ground. The Church of Ireland Centre, overseeing the religious elements of the fully merged former Church of Ireland College of Education (whose old site was not bought by DCU), is also based at this campus.

Faculties and Schools

• DCU Business School
• Faculty of Engineering & Computing
• School of Computing
• School of Electronic Engineering
• School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
• Faculty of Humanities & Social Sciences
• School of Applied Language & Intercultural Studies (SALIS)
• School of Communications
• School of Law & Government
• School of English
• School of History and Geography
• School of Theology, Philosophy, and Music
• Fiontar & Scoil na Gaeilge
• DCU Institute of Education
• School of Arts Education & Movement
• School of Human Development
• School of Inclusive & Special Education
• School of Language, Literacy & Early Childhood Education
• School of Policy & Practice
• School of STEM Education, Innovation & Global Studies
• Faculty of Science & Health
• School of Biotechnology
• School of Chemical Sciences
• School of Health & Human Performance
• School of Mathematical Sciences

Organisation

Governance

In accordance with legislation, the university is directed by a policy-making statutory Governing Body, whose functions are outlined in the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin, Act, 1980, amended in the Dublin City University Act, 1989 which raised the institution's status to that of a university and provided for related matters. There are several other important acts concerning the college including the Universities Act, 1997, which allows for the creation of University Statutes.

The Governing Body's 31 members are chosen by a wide range of groups and authorities, and include members elected by staff (in various classes) and students (ex-officio based on elections of Students Union officers). Graduates can directly elect one member and one further graduate member is put forward by the Educational Trust.

Chancellors

The university is headed, titularly, by the Chancellor. As of 2020, the Chancellor of Dublin City University is Martin McAleese (2011–2016, 2016–2021), who was preceded by Ireland's former EU Commissioner and Attorney General, David Byrne (2006–2011). Byrne was in turn preceded by the Hon Ms Justice Mella Carroll (2001–2006) who in turn was preceded by Tom Hardiman (–2001).

Academic governance

A statutory Academic Council, with three standing committees, oversees the teaching and research work of the university. The three permanent sub-committees, which replaced a single Standing Committee, are the Education Committee, the University Standards Committee and the Graduate Research Studies Board.

Academic structure

The academic organisation of the university is arranged into faculties and schools. DCU has recently undergone some reorganisation on the faculty level, with an incorporation process establishing one of Europe's largest Institutes of Education. There are currently five faculties, each headed by an Executive Dean. Below this level are Schools, each with its own Head, and for each degree programme, a Programme Board, with an elected chairperson.

Since 2017, academic staff are assigned titles as Assistant Professor (formerly Lecturer), Associate Professor (formerly Senior Lecturer), Professor (formerly associate professor) and Full Professor.

DCU houses the country's first purpose-built university nursing school.

With a legacy in distance learning, DCU provides a variety of undergraduate and postgraduate online courses and degree programs via DCU Connected. It is also home to the National Institute for Digital Learning (NIDL), which strived to be a global leader in the innovation, execution, and assessment of modern digital, blended, and online learning models. Additionally, NIDL oversees the creation and delivery of an expanding selection of free online courses, known as MOOCs, through Ireland’s Open Learning Academy.

DCU Educational Trust

The university is supported by a charitable Trust, named the "DCU Educational Trust", the main work of which is in fund-raising.

Student body

The composition of the student body represents every county on the island of Ireland and over seventy countries worldwide, spread across all six continents. The university has educated students from Australia to Brazil and Japan to Iceland. International students currently make up just over 15% of the full-time student body. The university is strongly committed to international education and internationalising its campus. Apart from a large number of exchanges the university also welcomes international students as part of its Study Abroad Programme and offers programmes jointly with institutions based outside Ireland and is rapidly expanding a wide range of international activities.

Student activities

Clubs and societies

There are more than 140 clubs and societies representing a wide range of interests such as culture, computer games, sport, and academic interests.

Governing Committees

Societies and Clubs receive financial support from a proportion of capitation fees and are governed solely by student committees. The Society Life Committee (SLC) and The Club Life Committee (CLC) govern and drive policy and funding for societies and clubs at DCU. Student facilities for societies are mostly based in the Student Centre, The U, which was opened in September 2018.

Drama

DCU's Drama Society hosts many productions for the public every year, including its annual flagship event, the DCU Musical. In 2009, the musical Rent, was nominated for the Best Overall Show award, and the Best Director award with the Association of Irish Musical Societies. DCU Drama reprised RENT at Dublin's Olympia Theatre. from 15 to 20 June 2009. DCU Drama also sends plays to be adjudicated for the Irish Student Drama Association awards. DCU Drama won the Best National College Society award at the Board of Irish College Societies awards in 2002, 2003 and 2008, and was nominated for Best Society Event nationwide for The Full Monty in 2007 and Rent in 2009. DCU Drama won Best Society at DCU in 2017 and most recently performed the musical Sweeney Todd in Spring of 2018.

Music

As one of DCU's biggest and most active societies, Music Society organises lessons, workshops, concerts, open mic nights, trips to concerts, weekends away, an intervarsity Battle of the Bands and a myriad of other events every year. The Battle of the Bands is its main event, with participants coming from colleges nationwide. The 2010 Battle of the Bands took place on 29 March in DCU. Music Society won the award for Best Society in DCU in 2007.

Politics

Ireland's major political parties are represented on campus. In the 2012–2013 academic year, the Fianna Fáil party was the largest political party on campus and was chaired by Ruadhrí Moran. The Labour Party, who were traditionally the largest on-campus, have fallen into second place, with the Fine Gael party, chaired by Ryan Hunt in third with a drop in 30% of membership.

Radio

DCUfm is a student-run radio station. The station airs regular programmes from 09:00AM to 9:00PM, every week during both semesters. It streams its output from their Twitch page DCUFM. Its programmes cover arts, music, news, sport, and the Irish language.

DCUfm is a project of the Media Production Society (MPS) at DCU, which is Dublin City University’s society of the year 2023/2024. The society also won the national 'most improved society' prize and the 'best online presence' award at the BICS in 2010 and 2012 respectively. MPS won the title of DCU's best society at the 2011 and 2013 DCU Society Awards and won DCU's best society event in 2014 with the 24 Hour Broadcast.

Facilities

Accommodation

The university has built several modern apartments and residences. Larkfield Apartments have 128 units, each with two study bedrooms and a shared living, kitchen and dining area within each unit. The Postgraduate Residences have 37 apartments, each with two, three or four en-suite bedrooms. The Hampstead Apartments consist of 61 units, each with three or five en-suite bedrooms and a shared living, kitchen and dining area. The College Park Apartments consist of 93 units, each with four or five en-suite bedrooms and a shared living, kitchen and dining area.

All Hallows is situated in Drumcondra village within reach of the Glasnevin and St. Patrick's campuses. There are 63 bedrooms available in Purcell House to students. Accommodation is in single or double bedrooms (single occupancy only) with either ensuite or shared bathroom facilities. Each bedroom has a study area and fixed-line internet access (internet cable is not provided). There is a communal kitchen and shared lounge areas.

Sport

Sports facilities at DCU broadly span across four locations; the Glasnevin Campus Sports Complex, the St. Patrick’s Campus Sports Complex, Morton Stadium, and DCU Sports Grounds.

There are ten tennis courts at the National Tennis Training Centre in Albert College Park (four indoor acrylic courts, three outdoor hardcourts and three outdoor clay courts) and a further five tennis courts are situated at Glasnevin Lawn Tennis Club adjacent to St. Clare's Sports Grounds. There is also a GAA pitch, a grass athletics track and four or six soccer pitches (depending on configuration) in Albert College Park.

The DCU Sports Academy was launched in November 2006. Membership of the Sports Academy entitles those selected to special scholarships and supports worth up to €10,000 each including on-campus accommodation, financial support towards college books and tuition fees, personal tuition, access to key national and international competitions, physiotherapy and massage, sports nutrition advice and high-performance education talks and workshops.

Glasnevin Campus Sports Complex

Also known as the DCU Sports Complex, the sports complex opened in January 2005. The complex won the "Sports centre of the Year Award" in 2009. Sports facilities on the campus include a sports complex and fitness centre which incorporates: an aerobics studio, spinning studio, quiet studio, four sports halls, two squash courts, a glass-backed Gaelic handball/racquetball court, a gallery that accommodates table tennis and a body conditioning arena, a floodlit astroturf hockey pitch and seven grass pitches for a variety of sports, eight enclosed five-a-side AstroTurf soccer pitches, an indoor climbing wall, a four-lane 75-metre indoor sprint track and a gym. per week. The main sports hall can be divided into three full-size volleyball, badminton or basketball courts.

Эх сурвалж: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)