UCD has been ranked as the top university for Computer Science in Ireland, and the only Irish university to be ranked within the top 100 by the first ever international subject ranking by the QS World University Rankings. In a list dominated by US universities, UCD was one of only thirty European institutions to make it into the top 100.
Three individual metrics are used to calculate the quality rank of the institutions reviewed: academic reputation, reputation amongst employers and citations per paper. UCD scored highest on the citations per paper category, which ranked it eleventh overall in the world for Computer Science (ahead of such research powerhouses as MIT).
Prof Joe Carthy (Head of the UCD School of Computer Science and Informatics – UCD CSI) is delighted with the result and said that “this glowing endorsement shows that the School’s investment in research excellence and teaching quality over the past ten years is now paying dividends. For example, staff commitment and innovation in teaching drove the recent revamp of our Masters programmes that has resulted in a tripling of our intake of postgraduate students to over 400”.
The University’s impressive ranking can also be attributed to UCD CSI’s success in attracting €37m in external research investment in the past five years. Last year, this funding led to the spinout of three award-winning companies in web technologies (JLizard and Heystaks) and green energy (Veutility). It has also enabled CSI to collaborate with over 35 indigenous and multinational organisations such as Visa Europe, IBM and Disney Research.
Prof Carthy acknowledged the contribution of other disciplines within UCD to achieving the ranking, including those who collaborate with CSI academics through initiatives such as UCD CASL – an interdisciplinary research institute that hosts mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers and biologists. Modern computer science tends to be collaborative, given the key role it plays in advancing progress in diverse areas such as biotechnology, healthcare, financial forecasting and climate modeling.
Prof Barry Smyth (UCD CSI academic and Director of CLARITY Research Centre) said that “quality metrics such as the QS World Ranking are a strong indicator that Ireland’s past investment in research ICT is paying off”. He also stressed the need for continued investment. Particularly, in light of the government's ambitious plan to turn Ireland into a Digital Island, which is a key element of its strategy for bringing Ireland back to economic stability and growth (as outlined in its Programme for Government 2011). Prof Smyth said that “our ability to deliver depends critically on our educational sector and on our research base. It is clear that UCD CSI is succeeding in playing a vital role in this regard and the recognition of our peers internationally will help to raise the profile of Ireland Inc in these challenging times”.
