Fifty-one per cent of students from DCU and its incorporating institutions reported dissatisfaction with the “New DCU”, while 29 per cent said they had experienced no change. Just 20 per cent of 148 respondents said that the incorporation had proved a positive venture.

St Patrick’s College, Mater Dei Institute and Church of Ireland College of Education have been officially incorporated under the DCU umbrella since September 2016. Teaching colleges, St. Pats, Mater Dei and CICE have amalgamated to form the DCU Institute of Education which, when combined with the DCU School of Education Studies, has over 4,000 students.

The changes caused by the incorporation have caused challenges for some students. When surveyed, 23 per cent said that the change in lecture location had been a significant disadvantage, with many students also concerned about timetables and course content.

One respondent said, “I have no security for my future. I do not know if I will be able to secure a job after college as my course content has been changed during the incorporation.”

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