Three of Ireland’s largest third-level institutions have formed a collaborative partnership to work on the development of academic programmes, research, education and internationalisation.
The 3U Partnership involving NUI Maynooth, Dublin City University (DCU) and the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) was announced by Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn this afternoon.
A 3U Biomedical Research group will see more than 750 researchers come together to work with industry to bring research solutions for human diseases such as cancer and diabetes to the market more efficiently.
A recruitment drive will be initiated to attract more international students to Dublin from countries such as India, the Middle East, China and North America. Measures to enhance the academic, cultural and social experience of international students will also be announced.
New national and international study programmes will allow students to study across several campuses over the course of their work. New Masters degrees in healthcare technology, global health, and humanitarian logistics and emergency management will be introduced.
The three institutions will also use their combined expertise to develop new teaching methods in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Speaking at the announcement, the Taoiseach said the partnership would be vital to Ireland’s future educational success, and a cornerstone of government policy.
“It is clear that this partnership will lead to increased competitiveness for major research awards, innovation at the intersection of disciplines, and also the intellectual, cultural and financial benefits of a greater internationalisation of our student base in Ireland,” he said. “Thorough collaboration we can achieve scale that allows us to compete more effectively on the global stage.”
