University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
Encyclopedia
University College Cork (UCC) (Irish
: Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland
. The university is located in Cork
.
The university was founded as a college in 1845 as Queen's College, Cork. It became University College, Cork, under the Irish Universities Act of 1908. The Universities Act, 1997 renamed the university as National University of Ireland, Cork, and a Ministerial Order of 1998 renamed the university as University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork , though it continues to be almost universally known as University College Cork.
The university was named Irish University of the Year by the Sunday Times
in 2003, 2005, and 2011. In 2011 the QS World University Rankings
ranked the university 181 in the world, placing it amongst the top 2% of universities worldwide. The university also received a 5-star rating in the QS University Rankings 2011. Dr. Michael B. Murphy has been president of the university since February 2007.
Queen's College, Cork was founded by the provisions of an act which enabled Queen Victoria
to endow new colleges for the "Advancement of Learning in Ireland". Under the powers of this act, the three colleges of Belfast, Cork and Galway
were incorporated on 30 December 1845. The college opened in 1849 with 23 professors and 181 students and a year later became part of the Queen's University of Ireland
.
The original site chosen for the College was particularly appropriate in that it is believed to have had a connection with the patron saint
of Cork, Saint Finbarr. His monastery and school of learning were close by at Gill Abbey Rock and the mill attached to the monastery is thought to have stood on the bank of the south channel of the River Lee
, which runs through the College lower grounds. This association is also reflected in the College motto "Where Finbarr Taught, Let Munster
Learn" which is also the current university motto.
On this site (on a hill overlooking the valley of the Lee), the Tudor Gothic quadrangle and early campus buildings were built by Deane
and Woodward. Over the coming years the College gained a standing for excellence in various fields, including mathematics, medicine and the humanities.
The medical buildings were built in stages between 1860 and 1880, and the faculty quickly gained a reputation for the quality of its graduates. The first two women to graduate in medicine in Ireland did so in 1898 (this was notable as it was more than 20 years before women were permitted to sit for medicine at the University of Oxford
).
In the following century, the Irish Universities Act (1908) formed the National University of Ireland
, consisting of the three constituent colleges of Dublin, Cork and Galway, and the college was given the status of a university college
as University College, Cork. The Universities Act, 1997, made the university college a constituent university of the National University and made the constituent university a full university for all purposes except the awarding of degrees and diplomas which remains the sole remit of the National University.
Today the university has over 17,000 students - of which there are over 14,000 undergraduate degree candidates. This student base is supported by 2,578 staff - of which 764 are faculty. There are 1104 non academic staff and 710 research staff.
The university is one of Ireland's leading research institutes, with the highest research income in the state. The university's internal research reputation spans all of its faculties where it offers over 120 degree and professional programmes through seven schools and 27 departments. The university had seven faculties in Arts and Celtic Studies, Commerce, Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Law, Medicine, and Science. In recent years,the University has been restructured so that it now has four colleges: Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science; Business and Law; Medicine and Health; and Science, Engineering and Food Science.
UCC School of Medicine is part of the College of Medicine and Health, and is based at the Brookfield Health Sciences Center on the main UCC campus and is affiliated with the 880-bed University College Cork Teaching Hospital, which is the largest medical center in Ireland. The UCC School Of Pharmacy is based in the Cavanagh Pharmacy Building. UCC is also home to the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies, which allows students to study Chinese culture as well as the language through Arts and Commerce. The department recently won the European Award for Languages 2008.
Student numbers, currently at over 17,000, have increased greatly since the late 1980s, precipitating the expansion of the campus by the acquisition of adjacent buildings and lands. This expansion continues to the present day to meet the needs of an ever growing student population, with the construction of the Alfred O'Rahilly
building, the Cavanagh Pharmacy building, the Brookfield Health Sciences centre, the extended Áras na MacLéinn (Devere Hall), the Lewis Glucksman Gallery
, Experience UCC (Visitors' Centre) and an extension to the Boole Library - named for the first professor of mathematics at UCC, George Boole
, who developed the algebra that would later make computer programming possible. The University also recently opened the Western Gateway Building on the site of the former Cork Greyhound track on the Western Road as well as significant refurbishment to the Tyndall
institute buildings at the Lee Maltings Complex.
The university has a number of related companies including: Cytrea, which is involved in pharmaceutical formulations; Firecomms, an ICT company concentrating on optical communications
; Alimentary Health a biotech
healthcare company; Biosensia who develop integrated micro-system analytical chips; Sensl developers of low light sensors and imaging systems;Luxcel which is involved in the development of probes and sensors for the pharmaceutical and food safety industries; and Optical Metrology Innovations who develop laser
metrology
systems.
The college was involved in some controversy in 2006 when one academic, Professor Des Clarke alleged that the university authorities were guilty of financial mismanagement, and called for a full independent inquiry into governance. The subsequent inquiry found that there was no evidence of financial mismanagement.
Also in 2006, the University re-opened the Crawford Observatory, a structure built in 1880 on the grounds of the university by Sir Howard Grubb. Grubb, son of the Grubb telescope building family in Dublin, designed the observatory and built the astronomical instruments for the structure. The University paid for an extensive restoration and conservation program of the building and the three main telescopes, the Equatorial, the Transit Circle and the Sidereostatic telescope.
In October 2008, the governing body of the university announced that UCC would be the first institution in Ireland to use embryonic stem cells in research.
In November 2009, many UCC buildings were damaged by unprecedented flooding. The floods also affected other parts of Cork City, with many students being evacuated from accommodation. The college authorities postponed academic activities for a week, and indicated that it would take until 2010 before all flood damaged property would be repaired. A major scene of damage was the newly opened Western Gateway Builiding, with the main lecture theatre requiring a total refit just months after opening for classes.
In 2010 the University became embroiled in a row over academic freedom when it accused Dylan Evans
, a lecturer in the School of Medicine, of sexual harassment
for showing a scientific paper about fruit bats to another lecturer. In what soon became known as the "fruitbatgate" affair, Evans sought a judicial review
in the High Court, which ruled in December 2010 that the sanctions imposed on Evans by Professor Murphy were "grossly disproportianate" and ordered the President to reconsider, and awarded costs to Evans.
UCC's research strategy involves creating "Centres of Excellence" for world class research in which the researchers and research teams would be given great freedom and flexibility to pursue their areas of research. Research centres in UCC cover a wide range of areas including:
Nanoelectronics with the Tyndall Institute; Food and Health with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, NutraMara, Food for Health Ireland Research Centre, and Cereal Science Cork (food research at UCC ranks 4th in the world ); the Environment with the Environmental Research Institute (with research in biodiversity, aquaculture, energy efficiency and ocean energy); and Business Information Systems.
, with the UCC Skull and Crossbones as the mascot for all UCC sports teams. 100 students received scholarships in 26 different sports in 2010.
The regular activities of UCC's societies have included significant charity work with over €160,000 raised by the Surgeon Noonan society, €10,000 raised by the War Gaming and Role Playng Society (WARPS) through its international gaming convention WARPCON which was attended by over 700 people, €10,000 raised by The Law Society, University College Cork
for the Cambodia orphanage and the UCC Pharmacy Society supports the Cork Hospitals Childrens Club every year with a number of events. UCC societies also regularly attract high-profile speakers such as Robert Fisk
who addressed the Law Society, Nick Leeson and Senator David Norris, who was the 2009/2010 honorary president of the UCC Philosophical Society or "Philisoph".
UCC Students' Union (UCCSU)
acts as the representative body of the 17,000 students attending UCC. Each student is automatically a member by virtue of a student levy.
, France
and Malaysia. UCC participates in the Erasmus programme with 439 students visiting UCC in 2009-2010. 201 UCC students studied in institutions in the USA, China
and Europe.
UCC was rated highly in the 2008 International Student Barometer report. This survey polled 67,000 international students studying at 84 institutions, and was carried out by the International Insight Group. The report held that 98% of UCC's international students (who participated in the survey) reported having "Expert Lecturers". And over 90% of these students said that they had "Good Teachers". In 3 categories of the survey, "sports facilities", "social facilities" and "university clubs and societies", UCC was in the top three of the 84 Institutions that took part in the survey. UCC's International Education Office was given a 93% satisfaction rating and UCC's IT Support was given a 92% satisfaction rating.
In arts & literature, alumni include: novelist Seán Ó Faoláin
, short-story writer Daniel Corkery, composer Seán Ó Riada
, actress Dame Fiona Shaw
, novelist William Wall
, poets Paul Durcan, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Thomas McCarthy
and Greg Delanty
, comedian Des Bishop
, and journalists Brendan O'Connor
and Eoghan Harris
. Actor Cillian Murphy
and BBC presenter Graham Norton
both attended UCC but did not graduate.
From the business community, alumni include: Kerry Group
's Denis Brosnan, Kingfisher plc
's CEO Gerry Murphy, and former head of CRH
Anthony Barry.
In physics
, alumni have included: professor Richard Milner
of the Laboratory for Nuclear Science at M.I.T., Professor Margaret Murnane of the University of Colorado
and Professor Séamus Davis of Cornell.
Several noted politicians and public servants have attended UCC, including former Taoiseach
Jack Lynch
, leader of Fianna Fáil
and former Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin
, Supreme Court justice Liam McKechnie and High Court judge Bryan MacMahon.
In sport, rugby coach Declan Kidney
, Gaelic football
ers Séamus Moynihan
, Maurice Fitzgerald
and Billy Morgan
, hurlers
Pat Heffernan
, Joe Deane
, James "Cha" Fitzpatrick and Ray Cummins
, rugby players Moss Keane
, Ronan O'Gara
and Donnacha Ryan
have all attended UCC.
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
: Coláiste na hOllscoile Corcaigh) is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
. The university is located in Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
.
The university was founded as a college in 1845 as Queen's College, Cork. It became University College, Cork, under the Irish Universities Act of 1908. The Universities Act, 1997 renamed the university as National University of Ireland, Cork, and a Ministerial Order of 1998 renamed the university as University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork , though it continues to be almost universally known as University College Cork.
The university was named Irish University of the Year by the Sunday Times
The Sunday Times (UK)
The Sunday Times is a Sunday broadsheet newspaper, distributed in the United Kingdom. The Sunday Times is published by Times Newspapers Ltd, a subsidiary of News International, which is in turn owned by News Corporation. Times Newspapers also owns The Times, but the two papers were founded...
in 2003, 2005, and 2011. In 2011 the QS World University Rankings
QS World University Rankings
The QS World University Rankings is a ranking of the world’s top 500 universities by Quacquarelli Symonds using a method that has published annually since 2004....
ranked the university 181 in the world, placing it amongst the top 2% of universities worldwide. The university also received a 5-star rating in the QS University Rankings 2011. Dr. Michael B. Murphy has been president of the university since February 2007.
History
Victoria of the United Kingdom
Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....
to endow new colleges for the "Advancement of Learning in Ireland". Under the powers of this act, the three colleges of Belfast, Cork and Galway
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
were incorporated on 30 December 1845. The college opened in 1849 with 23 professors and 181 students and a year later became part of the Queen's University of Ireland
Queen's University of Ireland
The Queen's University of Ireland was established formally by Royal Charter on 3 September 1850, as the degree-awarding university of the Queen's Colleges of Belfast, Cork, and Galway that were established in 1845 "to afford a university education to members of all religious denominations" in...
.
The original site chosen for the College was particularly appropriate in that it is believed to have had a connection with the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of Cork, Saint Finbarr. His monastery and school of learning were close by at Gill Abbey Rock and the mill attached to the monastery is thought to have stood on the bank of the south channel of the River Lee
River Lee (Ireland)
The Lee is a river in Ireland. It rises in the Shehy Mountains on the western border of County Cork and flows eastwards through Cork City, where it splits in two for a short distance, creating an island on which Cork's city centre is built, and empties into the Celtic Sea at Cork Harbour on the...
, which runs through the College lower grounds. This association is also reflected in the College motto "Where Finbarr Taught, Let Munster
Munster
Munster is one of the Provinces of Ireland situated in the south of Ireland. In Ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial purposes...
Learn" which is also the current university motto.
On this site (on a hill overlooking the valley of the Lee), the Tudor Gothic quadrangle and early campus buildings were built by Deane
Thomas Deane
Sir Thomas Deane was an Irish architect. He was the father of Sir Thomas Newenham Deane, and grandfather of Sir Thomas Manly Deane, who were also architects.-Life:...
and Woodward. Over the coming years the College gained a standing for excellence in various fields, including mathematics, medicine and the humanities.
The medical buildings were built in stages between 1860 and 1880, and the faculty quickly gained a reputation for the quality of its graduates. The first two women to graduate in medicine in Ireland did so in 1898 (this was notable as it was more than 20 years before women were permitted to sit for medicine at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
).
In the following century, the Irish Universities Act (1908) formed the National University of Ireland
National University of Ireland
The National University of Ireland , , is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997.The constituent universities are...
, consisting of the three constituent colleges of Dublin, Cork and Galway, and the college was given the status of a university college
University college
The term "university college" is used in a number of countries to denote college institutions that provide tertiary education but do not have full or independent university status. A university college is often part of a larger university...
as University College, Cork. The Universities Act, 1997, made the university college a constituent university of the National University and made the constituent university a full university for all purposes except the awarding of degrees and diplomas which remains the sole remit of the National University.
Today
The university is one of Ireland's leading research institutes, with the highest research income in the state. The university's internal research reputation spans all of its faculties where it offers over 120 degree and professional programmes through seven schools and 27 departments. The university had seven faculties in Arts and Celtic Studies, Commerce, Engineering, Food Science and Technology, Law, Medicine, and Science. In recent years,the University has been restructured so that it now has four colleges: Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Science; Business and Law; Medicine and Health; and Science, Engineering and Food Science.
UCC School of Medicine is part of the College of Medicine and Health, and is based at the Brookfield Health Sciences Center on the main UCC campus and is affiliated with the 880-bed University College Cork Teaching Hospital, which is the largest medical center in Ireland. The UCC School Of Pharmacy is based in the Cavanagh Pharmacy Building. UCC is also home to the Irish Institute of Chinese Studies, which allows students to study Chinese culture as well as the language through Arts and Commerce. The department recently won the European Award for Languages 2008.
Student numbers, currently at over 17,000, have increased greatly since the late 1980s, precipitating the expansion of the campus by the acquisition of adjacent buildings and lands. This expansion continues to the present day to meet the needs of an ever growing student population, with the construction of the Alfred O'Rahilly
Alfred O'Rahilly
Alfred O'Rahilly was a noted academic, President of University College Cork and Teachta Dála for Cork City.-Education and academia:Born in Listowel, County Kerry and educated at St...
building, the Cavanagh Pharmacy building, the Brookfield Health Sciences centre, the extended Áras na MacLéinn (Devere Hall), the Lewis Glucksman Gallery
Lewis Glucksman Gallery
The Lewis Glucksman Gallery is an award-winning art gallery in University College, Cork, Ireland.Opened to the public by the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese on 14 October 2004, the Glucksman gallery was named Best Public Building in Ireland by the RIAI in June 2005...
, Experience UCC (Visitors' Centre) and an extension to the Boole Library - named for the first professor of mathematics at UCC, George Boole
George Boole
George Boole was an English mathematician and philosopher.As the inventor of Boolean logic—the basis of modern digital computer logic—Boole is regarded in hindsight as a founder of the field of computer science. Boole said,...
, who developed the algebra that would later make computer programming possible. The University also recently opened the Western Gateway Building on the site of the former Cork Greyhound track on the Western Road as well as significant refurbishment to the Tyndall
Tyndall
Tyndall is the name of an English family taken from the land they held as tenants in chief of the Kings of England and Scotland in the 11th, 12th and 13th centuries: Tynedale, or the valley of the Tyne, in Northumberland...
institute buildings at the Lee Maltings Complex.
The university has a number of related companies including: Cytrea, which is involved in pharmaceutical formulations; Firecomms, an ICT company concentrating on optical communications
Telecommunication
Telecommunication is the transmission of information over significant distances to communicate. In earlier times, telecommunications involved the use of visual signals, such as beacons, smoke signals, semaphore telegraphs, signal flags, and optical heliographs, or audio messages via coded...
; Alimentary Health a biotech
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
healthcare company; Biosensia who develop integrated micro-system analytical chips; Sensl developers of low light sensors and imaging systems;Luxcel which is involved in the development of probes and sensors for the pharmaceutical and food safety industries; and Optical Metrology Innovations who develop laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
metrology
Metrology
Metrology is the science of measurement. Metrology includes all theoretical and practical aspects of measurement. The word comes from Greek μέτρον , "measure" + "λόγος" , amongst others meaning "speech, oration, discourse, quote, study, calculation, reason"...
systems.
The college was involved in some controversy in 2006 when one academic, Professor Des Clarke alleged that the university authorities were guilty of financial mismanagement, and called for a full independent inquiry into governance. The subsequent inquiry found that there was no evidence of financial mismanagement.
Also in 2006, the University re-opened the Crawford Observatory, a structure built in 1880 on the grounds of the university by Sir Howard Grubb. Grubb, son of the Grubb telescope building family in Dublin, designed the observatory and built the astronomical instruments for the structure. The University paid for an extensive restoration and conservation program of the building and the three main telescopes, the Equatorial, the Transit Circle and the Sidereostatic telescope.
In October 2008, the governing body of the university announced that UCC would be the first institution in Ireland to use embryonic stem cells in research.
In November 2009, many UCC buildings were damaged by unprecedented flooding. The floods also affected other parts of Cork City, with many students being evacuated from accommodation. The college authorities postponed academic activities for a week, and indicated that it would take until 2010 before all flood damaged property would be repaired. A major scene of damage was the newly opened Western Gateway Builiding, with the main lecture theatre requiring a total refit just months after opening for classes.
In 2010 the University became embroiled in a row over academic freedom when it accused Dylan Evans
Dylan Evans
Dylan Evans is a British academic and author who has written books on emotion and the placebo effect as well as the theories of Jacques Lacan.-Early life and education:...
, a lecturer in the School of Medicine, of sexual harassment
Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment, is intimidation, bullying or coercion of a sexual nature, or the unwelcome or inappropriate promise of rewards in exchange for sexual favors. In some contexts or circumstances, sexual harassment is illegal. It includes a range of behavior from seemingly mild transgressions and...
for showing a scientific paper about fruit bats to another lecturer. In what soon became known as the "fruitbatgate" affair, Evans sought a judicial review
Judicial review
Judicial review is the doctrine under which legislative and executive actions are subject to review by the judiciary. Specific courts with judicial review power must annul the acts of the state when it finds them incompatible with a higher authority...
in the High Court, which ruled in December 2010 that the sanctions imposed on Evans by Professor Murphy were "grossly disproportianate" and ordered the President to reconsider, and awarded costs to Evans.
UCC Research
According to the UCC Strategic plan, UCC aims to enhance research and innovation and was ranked in the top 3% of universities worldwide.UCC's research strategy involves creating "Centres of Excellence" for world class research in which the researchers and research teams would be given great freedom and flexibility to pursue their areas of research. Research centres in UCC cover a wide range of areas including:
Nanoelectronics with the Tyndall Institute; Food and Health with the Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, NutraMara, Food for Health Ireland Research Centre, and Cereal Science Cork (food research at UCC ranks 4th in the world ); the Environment with the Environmental Research Institute (with research in biodiversity, aquaculture, energy efficiency and ocean energy); and Business Information Systems.
Knowledge Transfer
Innovation and Knowledge transfer is driven by UCC's Office of Technology Transfer, an office of the University dedicated to commercialising aspects of UCC's research and connecting researchers with industry. Recent spin outs from the college include pharmaceutical company Glantreo, Luxcel Biosciences, Alimentary Health, Biosensia, Firecoms, Gourmet Marine, Keelvar, Lee Oncology, and Sensl.Student life
University College Cork has over 85 active societies and 50 different sports clubs. There are Academic, Charitable, Creative, Gaming/Role-playing, Political, Religious, and Social Societies and Clubs incorporate field sports, martial arts, watersports as well outdoor and indoor team and individual sports. UCC clubs are sponsored by Bank of IrelandBank of Ireland
The Bank of Ireland is a commercial bank operation in Ireland, which is one of the 'Big Four' in both parts of the island.Historically the premier banking organisation in Ireland, the Bank occupies a unique position in Irish banking history...
, with the UCC Skull and Crossbones as the mascot for all UCC sports teams. 100 students received scholarships in 26 different sports in 2010.
The regular activities of UCC's societies have included significant charity work with over €160,000 raised by the Surgeon Noonan society, €10,000 raised by the War Gaming and Role Playng Society (WARPS) through its international gaming convention WARPCON which was attended by over 700 people, €10,000 raised by The Law Society, University College Cork
The Law Society, University College Cork
The Law Society, University College Cork is an academic student society at University College Cork . Its functions include "House Meetings", debating, education, moot court and social. The society hosts the annual Law Conference in University College Cork which is attended by students and local...
for the Cambodia orphanage and the UCC Pharmacy Society supports the Cork Hospitals Childrens Club every year with a number of events. UCC societies also regularly attract high-profile speakers such as Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk
Robert Fisk is an English writer and journalist from Maidstone, Kent. As Middle East correspondent of The Independent, he has primarily been based in Beirut for more than 30 years. He has published a number of books and has reported on the United States's war in Afghanistan and the same country's...
who addressed the Law Society, Nick Leeson and Senator David Norris, who was the 2009/2010 honorary president of the UCC Philosophical Society or "Philisoph".
UCC Students' Union
The UCC Students’ Union is a students' union in University College Cork, in Cork, Ireland. It is established in accordance with the charter, statutes and regulations of the Governing Body of the college as the sole representative body for UCC students...
acts as the representative body of the 17,000 students attending UCC. Each student is automatically a member by virtue of a student levy.
Student Accommodation
Students attending UCC occupy a wide variety of accommodation types. Some opt to live with family while others live in rented accommodation. UCC has its own Accommodation and Student Activities office which provides students with advice and information on renting accommodation in Cork City while UCC's Campus Accommodation company looks after approximately 860 beds in four different apartment complexes within a mile of the UCC main campus.International students
The largest number of the 2,400 international students at UCC comes from the USA, followed by ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Malaysia. UCC participates in the Erasmus programme with 439 students visiting UCC in 2009-2010. 201 UCC students studied in institutions in the USA, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
and Europe.
UCC was rated highly in the 2008 International Student Barometer report. This survey polled 67,000 international students studying at 84 institutions, and was carried out by the International Insight Group. The report held that 98% of UCC's international students (who participated in the survey) reported having "Expert Lecturers". And over 90% of these students said that they had "Good Teachers". In 3 categories of the survey, "sports facilities", "social facilities" and "university clubs and societies", UCC was in the top three of the 84 Institutions that took part in the survey. UCC's International Education Office was given a 93% satisfaction rating and UCC's IT Support was given a 92% satisfaction rating.
Alumni
Notable alumni of the University include graduates from different disciplines.In arts & literature, alumni include: novelist Seán Ó Faoláin
Seán Ó Faoláin
Seán Proinsias Ó Faoláin was an Irish short story writer. He was elected Saoi of Aosdána in 1986.Born as John Francis Whelan in Cork City, County Cork, Ireland, Sean Ó Faoláin wrote his first stories in the 1920s. Through 90 stories, written over a period of 60 years, Ó Faoláin charts the...
, short-story writer Daniel Corkery, composer Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada , was a composer and perhaps the single most influential figure in the revival of Irish traditional music during the 1960s...
, actress Dame Fiona Shaw
Fiona Shaw
Fiona Shaw, CBE is an Irish actress and theatre director. Although to international audiences she is probably most familiar for her minor role as Petunia Dursley in the Harry Potter films, she is an accomplished classical actress...
, novelist William Wall
William Wall
William "Bill" Wall is an Irish novelist, poet and short story writer. He was born in Cork City in 1955, but grew up in the coastal village of Whitegate. He received his secondary education at the Christian Brothers School in Midleton. He progressed to University College Cork where he graduated in...
, poets Paul Durcan, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Thomas McCarthy
Thomas McCarthy (poet)
Thomas McCarthy is an Irish poet, novelist, and critic, born in Cappoquin, Co. Waterford, Ireland. He attended University College Cork where he was part of a resurgence of literary activity under the inspiration of John Montague...
and Greg Delanty
Greg Delanty
Greg Delanty is an Irish poet. He is artist-in-residence at St. Michael's College, and current President of the Association of Literary Scholars, Critics, and Writers....
, comedian Des Bishop
Des Bishop
Des Bishop is an Irish comedian and was brought up in New York. He is now primarily based in Ireland, after moving to County Wexford in 1990 at the age of 14.-Approach to Comedy:...
, and journalists Brendan O'Connor
Brendan O'Connor (journalist)
Brendan O'Connor is an Irish journalist, comedian, media personality and retired pop star. Since 2010 he has presented The Saturday Night Show on RTÉ One. O'Connor is a columnist for the Sunday Independent, and is editor of the newspaper's Life Magazine.O'Connor's pop career has included a stint...
and Eoghan Harris
Eoghan Harris
Eoghan Harris is an Irish journalist, fiction writer, director, columnist and politician. He currently writes for the Sunday Independent. He was a member of Seanad Éireann from 2007–11, having been nominated by the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern....
. Actor Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy
Cillian Murphy is an Irish film and theatre actor. He is often noted by critics for his chameleonic performances in diverse roles and distinctive blue eyes and general sex appeal....
and BBC presenter Graham Norton
Graham Norton
Graham William Walker, known by his stage name Graham Norton , is an Irish actor, comedian, television presenter and columnist...
both attended UCC but did not graduate.
From the business community, alumni include: Kerry Group
Kerry Group
Kerry Group , is a public food company headquartered in Ireland. It is quoted on the Dublin ISEQ and London stock exchanges. It evolved initially from a local dairy co-op in the Munster region of Ireland...
's Denis Brosnan, Kingfisher plc
Kingfisher plc
Kingfisher plc is a multinational retailing company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the largest home improvement retailer in Europe and the third-largest in the world...
's CEO Gerry Murphy, and former head of CRH
CRH plc
CRH plc, , is an Irish building material group, formerly called Cement-Roadstone Holdings plc. It is quoted on the Official Lists of the Irish Stock Exchange and London Stock Exchange.-History:...
Anthony Barry.
In physics
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, alumni have included: professor Richard Milner
Richard Milner
Richard Milner may refer to:* Richard Milner * Richard Milner , historian of science and singer* Richard Milner, 3rd Baron Milner of Leeds...
of the Laboratory for Nuclear Science at M.I.T., Professor Margaret Murnane of the University of Colorado
University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado Boulder is a public research university located in Boulder, Colorado...
and Professor Séamus Davis of Cornell.
Several noted politicians and public servants have attended UCC, including former Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
Jack Lynch
Jack Lynch
John Mary "Jack" Lynch was the Taoiseach of Ireland, serving two terms in office; from 1966 to 1973 and 1977 to 1979....
, leader of Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil
Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party , more commonly known as Fianna Fáil is a centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland, founded on 23 March 1926. Fianna Fáil's name is traditionally translated into English as Soldiers of Destiny, although a more accurate rendition would be Warriors of Fál...
and former Minister for Foreign Affairs Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin
Micheál Martin is an Irish politician who has been leader of Fianna Fáil since January 2011. He is a Teachta Dála for the Cork South Central constituency...
, Supreme Court justice Liam McKechnie and High Court judge Bryan MacMahon.
In sport, rugby coach Declan Kidney
Declan Kidney
Declan Kidney is an Irish rugby union coach.-Early life:Kidney played rugby for UCC and later for Dolphin RFC....
, Gaelic football
Gaelic football
Gaelic football , commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic", or "Gah" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland...
ers Séamus Moynihan
Séamus Moynihan
Séamus Moynihan is an Irish Gaelic footballer from Shronedarraugh - a townland half way between Barraduff and Glenflesk, County Kerry. He has played football for St Brendan's College, Glenflesk, East Kerry, University College Cork, Institute of Technology Tralee, Kerry Minor, U21 and Senior teams,...
, Maurice Fitzgerald
Maurice Fitzgerald (footballer)
Maurice Fitzgerald is an Irish sportsperson. He plays Gaelic football with his local club St. Mary's and divisional side South Kerry and was a member of the Kerry senior inter-county football team from 1988 until 2001...
and Billy Morgan
Billy Morgan (Gaelic footballer)
Billy Morgan is a former Irish Gaelic footballer. In a career that spanned three decades from the early 1960s to the early 1980s he played football at club level with University College Cork and Nemo Rangers, at inter-county level with Cork and at inter-provincial level with Munster...
, hurlers
Hurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
Pat Heffernan
Pat Heffernan
Pat Heffernan is an Irish hurling selector and former player. He is currently a selector with the Limerick senior hurling team....
, Joe Deane
Joe Deane
Joe Deane is an Irish sportsperson. He plays hurling with his local club Killeagh and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1996 until 2009...
, James "Cha" Fitzpatrick and Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins
Ray Cummins is a retired Irish sportsperson. A dual player at the highest levels, he played hurling with his local club Blackrock and was a member of the Cork senior inter-county team from 1969 until 1982. Cummins also played Gaelic football with his local club St...
, rugby players Moss Keane
Moss Keane
Maurice Ignatius "Moss" Keane was a rugby union footballer who played for Ireland and the British and Irish Lions.-Life and career:...
, Ronan O'Gara
Ronan O'Gara
Ronan John Ross O'Gara is an Irish rugby union player, playing at fly-half for both Munster and Ireland. He is the all time highest point scorer for both Munster and Ireland. In addition to his prolific point-scoring, he has captained Munster, Ireland and the British and Irish Lions...
and Donnacha Ryan
Donnacha Ryan
Donnacha Ryan is a rugby union player for Munster in the Magners League. He went to school in St. Munchin's College in Limerick where he was a key member of the side that won the Munster Schools Rugby Senior Cup in 2002...
have all attended UCC.
See also
- Education in the Republic of IrelandEducation in the Republic of IrelandThe levels of education in Ireland are primary, secondary and higher education. In recent years further education has grown immensely. Growth in the economy since the 1960s has driven much of the change in the education system. Education in Ireland is free at all levels, including college , but...
- List of universities in the Republic of Ireland
- List of Irish organizations with royal patronage
- UCC Students' UnionUCC Students' UnionThe UCC Students’ Union is a students' union in University College Cork, in Cork, Ireland. It is established in accordance with the charter, statutes and regulations of the Governing Body of the college as the sole representative body for UCC students...
- UCC GAAUCC GAAUCC is a football and hurling club associated with University College Cork. UCC teams play in the Cork Senior Football Championship and Cork Senior Hurling Championship as well as the two main third-level competitions namely the Sigerson Cup in football and the Fitzgibbon Cup in hurling...