UCC earns Ireland's first five-star ranking

University College Cork has become Ireland's first five-star university.

The QS World Rankings place the college at 181, compared to its 386th position in 2006.

UCC has around 20,000 students and attracts around 2,800 foreign students.

President Dr Michael Murphy said the ranking system is not too important at home, but is hugely important to overseas students.

Mr Murphy said universities in Asia take special note of the system and will only speak to universities that are above them in the rankings.