Dublin City University’s new Strategic Plan 2012-2017, entitled Transforming Lives and Societies has been launched today and sets out a new process of annual ‘review and renew’ the purpose of which is to allow the university to revise and develop strategic objectives where necessary and a detailed analysis of KPIs benchmarked regularly against both national and international comparators. This is the first strategic plan to be produced by any Irish university since the publication of the Hunt Report (National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030).
According to the strategy, the University will aim to support student learning and development by mainstreaming and further develop Generation 21 graduate attributes initiative. An enterprise element underpins the DCU strategy whereby the University intends to establish DCU as Ireland’s leading university for social entrepreneurship and focus on a new Student Accelerator Programme where students will have the opportunity to develop enterprise start-ups. The University is keen to foster a culture of innovation within DCU, develop a focussed research agenda aligned with global societal and technological challenges, develop of a new Innovation Campus in Glasnevin and create new translational research centres in conflict resolution, health and cloud computing. Additionally, amongst the main goals of the university is to focus on the education and innovation needs of the Eastern Corridor region and develop a global network of partner universities in Europe, Asia, North America, the Middle East and Africa.
Speaking at the launch, President of DCU, Professor Brian MacCraith stressed that the new Strategic Plan “outlines many important developments that DCU will deliver over the next five years, including pioneering initiatives in education, research and innovation, significant new partnerships, and a commitment to optimise the learning and personal development experience of every DCU student.”
Launching the plan, Minister for Education & Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD advocated his confidence in DCU in achieving its goals and aspirations, “which so strongly echo my own ambitions for the kind of outward facing system recommended by the National Strategy for Higher Education”. He also acknowledged his faith in the leadership of the University with its “strong, committed staff, both academic and non-academic” and praised “its vibrant student body” which “combine to form a significant force for change both within these walls and outwards into wider society”.