Global Partnerships Forum

Global Partnerships Forum

Virtual, 13 April 2021

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the UCD Global Partnerships Forum - as we say in Ireland, Céad Míle Fáilte, a hundred thousand welcomes!

I am delighted that so many of our valued partners are joining us. Over the next few days, our panels will discuss current best practice in global university partnerships and share the collaborative approaches that demonstrate how, by working together, we can address the unprecedented challenges facing our sector. 

UCD is Ireland’s Global University, welcoming almost 8,000 international students from 145 countries to Dublin and with almost 4,500 international students at our overseas campuses.

We offer a holistic student-focused and research-led educational experience, equipping our students with the knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes they need to flourish in present and future Irish and global societies and workplaces. Our global university partnerships are essential to UCD in maintaining this status and achieving our ambitious goals.

While the past year is one that none of us will forget, it has provided us with significant opportunities to transform the way we work and how we provide systems and services to our students and faculty. I believe that the landscape of the post-pandemic world will change how we do things and will challenge us to continue the transformation.

The past year also saw the establishment here in Ireland of a Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. The Department has a clear mandate to stimulate Ireland's economic and social development while being ambitious in terms of international reach to position Ireland as a leader in international education and research. UCD is consistently closely aligned with this ambition for higher education and will be a key player in the implementation of the Minister’s plans.

In late 2019, we launched our new five-year strategy, Rising to the Future, which sets out four strategic themes that will shape research, influence teaching and learning, and impact on the way the University behaves and functions as a community and as an institution. The key themes presented in our strategy: Creating a Sustainable Global Society; Transforming through Digital Technology; Building a Healthy World; and Empowering Humanity remain priorities across UCD’s strategic ambitions.

Over the next few days, I hope you will take the opportunity to join as many of the panel discussions as possible. At our live and on-demand sessions, you will hear from my colleagues about how the student experience was prioritised during the pandemic, how much we value our global partnerships and the opportunities they provide to both students and staff.

In addition to showcasing multifunctional partnership success stories, our intention for this forum is to stimulate discussion, engage in problem-solving and share innovative ideas - across regions, functions and disciplines.

While the pandemic has changed how we interact, this forum will provide you with access to UCD colleagues across our Colleges and global functions. I encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity and schedule meetings with the relevant teams, to discuss your current partnerships and seek out new and exciting collaborations with UCD.

Thank you for joining us and thanks also to our speakers who will no doubt provide us with new and exciting insights.