AIPEC Wins the Best Collaboration category and Overall Excellence Award at 2025 Irish Education Awards
We are delighted to share that the All Ireland Interprofessional Healthcare Challenge (AIPEC) was honoured with two major accolades at the 2025 Irish Education Awards—Best Collaboration Project and the prestigious Overall Excellence Award. Selected from more than 160 entries, this national recognition highlights the strength and impact of AIPEC in advancing collaborative healthcare education across Ireland.
Orla Monagan ( Univeirsity of Galway), Christine McAuliffe (RSCI), Aofie Fleming (University College Cork), Kasia Gaughan (University College Dublin), Paul McCague (Queen’s University Belfast)
AIPEC is an intervarsity education competition that provides students from all health disciplines with the opportunity to work collaboratively with colleagues from different professions to address complex care challenges. The event featured student teams from Queen’s University Belfast, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Trinity College Dublin, Ulster University, University College Cork, University College Dublin, University of Galway, and University of Limerick.
The AIPEC organising committee brought together academic and professional staff from across all eight participating universities. This collaborative cross-institutional effort was key to designing, coordinating, and delivering a high-quality experience for all students involved.
Rachel Howe, Dr Brona Fullen, Prof Cecily Kelleher, Dr Lisa Rogers, Kasia Gaughan, Suzanne McMahon
UCD’s organising committee included colleagues from the College of Health and Agricultural Sciences (CHAS):
- Dr Brona Fullen, School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science
- Dr Lisa Rogers, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems
- Rachel Howe, Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems
- Kasia Gaughan, UCD Health Affairs
- Suzanne McMahon, UCD Health Affairs
Celebrating Collaboration and Impact
The judging panel, comprising healthcare professionals and patient representatives, praised AIPEC for its robust consortium model, strong interprofessional collaboration, and its potential to improve future patient outcomes. One judge noted:
“AIPEC 2024 gave students the chance to unite their diverse expertise and perspectives to ensure every aspect of a patient’s needs were met. It laid the foundation for future professional collaboration.”
This recognition reflects UCD’s ongoing commitment to innovative, collaborative healthcare education. AIPEC continues to provide students with invaluable opportunities to gain practical experience, deepen cross-disciplinary understanding, and build the skills needed for effective, compassionate healthcare teamwork.
We extend our warmest congratulations to everyone involved in AIPEC, especially our UCD colleagues and students, for their dedication and inspiring contributions to the future of healthcare education.