UCC moves closer to developing 'pan-European university' with seven other institutions

The goal is to give students, staff, and researchers "seamless" mobility, either physical, virtual, or blended, at cooperating partner institutions.

UCC and Cork city are currently working on the project with universities and city authorities in Finland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, and Croatia.

Cork is one step closer to a “pan-European university” where students, staff and researchers can study, train or work seamlessly across shared campuses and services spanning eight European countries.

University College Cork (UCC) has been awarded almost €445,000 from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for its work in developing a new model of European education. Since 2020, UCC has been working with seven other universities to develop the European University of Post-Industrial Cities (UNIC).

UCC and Cork city are currently working on the project with universities and city authorities in Finland, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, and Croatia.

The project represents a community of 230,000 students and offers significant potential for regional and national development, according to UCC. The goal is to create a European inter-university ‘campus’, where students, staff, and researchers enjoy "seamless" mobility, either physical, virtual, or blended, at cooperating partner institutions.

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“Engaging with European universities remains a core priority for UCC in research and education and important in securing our future for a sustainable European research Area,” said Professor John O’Halloran, president of UCC.

Dr Jean Van Sinderen-Law, director of UNIC at UCC, said: “It is a tribute to the current Government that the impact of such participation on resources is recognised and we greatly welcome its investment in our ability to capacity build to ensure that the Irish higher education system is not left behind."

Simon Harris, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, said the funding announcement “signals our Government’s commitment to the ambitious vision of innovative, globally competitive and attractive European Education Area and European Research Area.” 

Meanwhile, the Minister has appointed the first governing body of the new Atlantic Technological University, which will be established on April 1. It follows the granting of Technological University status to a consortium of Galway-Mayo, Sligo, and Letterkenny Institutes of Technology.