Page 20 - COBH EDITION 7TH DECEMBER DIGITAL VERSION

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK LAUNCHES TRANSFORMATIONAL
ACADEMIC STRATEGY
UCC Outlines Priorities for the Future of Education through a ‘Connected University’

UCC is launching an ambitious and transformational academic strategy that will transform
the UCC learning experience and landscape for the future. The UCC Academic Strategy out-
lines a new and holistic approach to education that champions the capacity for independent
thinking and enquiry, equipping students with the skills required for our rapidly evolving
labour market, society and environment.
Speaking at the launch of the Academic Strategy, UCC’s Deputy President and Registrar
Prof. John O’Halloran said “Sixty percent of the jobs that our young people will have don’t
even exist yet, according to the World Economic Forum, so our graduates need to be flex-
ible as well as hard-working and skilled. With an eye on supporting the future needs of
industry and preparing our graduates to be work ready and world ready, we have intro-
duced the Connected Curriculum which links teaching and research to a core set of values
- global citizenship; sustainability; research-based curriculum; creative knowledge and
social responsibility - underpinned by the UN sustainability goals. With education and tal-
ent comes responsibility – so people must be able to change and create a different world.
The connected curriculum puts vital skills and values at the heart of our students’ learning
experience to equip them to do just that.”
One of Ireland’s first academic strategies to be published, the new strategy builds on UCC’s
strong foundation for delivery and success. Set against the backdrop of a doubling in
student numbers over the last decade to over 21,000, a 93% student retention rate, and
being ranked in Europe’s top 50 universities for learning and teaching, the strategy outlines
a number of priorities and initiatives to ensure UCC remains at the cutting edge and a top
ranked global university.

Prof. John O’Halloran adds, “The strategy outlines our vision for a Connected University
with a renewed academic mission that will connect our research excellence to our curricu-
lum, and connect our university, staff and students to a dynamic workplace and skillsets
required for the future.”
The new UCC Academic Strategy recognises the innovation in course development at UCC
and maintains a strong focus on employability; current employment rates of UCC gradu-
ates are 94%. Sustainability, inter and trans-disciplinarity as well as civic and community
engagement are core to the Connected Curriculum. Reforming academic governance and
ensuring effective assessment have been identified as key policy areas in the Academic
Strategy.

Lifelong and life-wide learning is at the heart of the Connected Curriculum, to support
students to achieve their potential academically, personally and professionally. Curricular,
co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences will be intentionally connected to equip them
with a set of distinctive skills and aptitudes that contribute to a better society, economy
and environment.
UCC President Patrick O’Shea has welcomed the Academic Strategy 2018 – 2022 stating,
“We want to challenge students to be the best that they can be as scholars, entrepreneurs,
citizens and people. Our Connected University will positively impact society locally, nation-
ally and internationally. Through innovation, dedication and our tradition of independent
thinking, we believe this Academic Strategy will successfully lead UCC into the future of
education.”