Launch of UCD’s Internationalisation at Home (IaH) Report 2025

Earlier this month, the UCD Internationalisation at Home (IaH) Working Group released its findings documenting opportunities across the University to develop cross-cultural competence, both in the classroom and outside of it. The report, entitled (opens in a new window)UCD Internationalisation at Home: Expanding Horizons (2025), focused on internationalisation efforts available to all, especially those unable to undertake mobility. Its findings were encouraging and included several recommendations for further advancement. 

At the launch event, Prof Colin Scott, UCD Registrar, Deputy President, and VP for Academic Affairs, and Prof. Dolores O’Riordan, VP for Global Engagement, praised the work and noted the importance of the topic to UCD as Ireland’s Global University. Dr. Eveke De Louw, expert in IaH and researcher at The Hague University of Applied Sciences, attended the launch virtually to share her reflections on the project and offer insights as UCD looks toward further IaH efforts.

The working group and report were initiated under the 2021-2024 UCD Global Engagement Strategy and their findings remain pivotal to UCD’s new Strategy to 2030 Breaking Boundaries. Prof. Marie Clarke, Deputy Registrar and Dean of Teaching & Learning, chaired the working group assessing IaH efforts at UCD, with participation from students, faculty, support staff, and administrators. They conducted a self-audit to gather examples of intercultural opportunities on campus and analysed the extent to which the curriculum develops intercultural competence by reviewing all modules offered during the 2023-24 academic year. 

The findings were promising, showing a robust set of offerings across campus and identified a limited awareness of their availability at the University. The report also projected major benefits from greater integration of international and domestic students, more virtual exchange with global partners, and an emphasis on developing intercultural skills across all academic fields.

The working group’s recommendations will now inform an implementation plan and proposal to University leadership to enhance IaH at UCD even further.