TRINITY COLLEGE DUBLIN has unveiled its new five-year development plan.
The plan will see three major new capital projects being completed: Trinity Business School, E3 – a new Engineering, Energy and Environment Institute, and a Cancer Institute at St James’s Hospital.
The university also plans to increase student enrolments from outside the EU from 1,580 to almost 3,000, build new residences for 2,000 students and increase online learners to 1,000.
The college also plans to launch an arts progamme, Trinty Creative, which will include the establishment of a multipurpose creative space in Dublin city centre, Connector.
The five-year plan will cost €600 million and will be largely funded by non-exchequer funding.
Some €295 million will be spent on capital investment, including the Business School (€70m), E3 (€150m) and the Cancer Institute (€75m). It will create 600 jobs a year over a 5 year period.
In a statement release today, the college said that the new cancer institute would “consolidate cancer care, research and education on one site in St James’s Hospital, Dublin with the aim of improving cancer treatment based on cutting-edge research”, while E3 “will be the first institute of its kind in Ireland and internationally to integrate engineering, technology and the natural sciences” at this scale.
€170 million will be spent on building new student residencies, creating 300 jobs for five years.
Speaking at the launch of the Strategic Plan 2014-19, Taoiseach Enda Kenny said that the college’s focus on “developing strong partnerships with enterprise and building alliances between employers and the academic community is critical”.
Trinity Provost Dr Patrick Prendergast stated:
As a university of global consequence, we will be known for realising student potential and for research and scholarship that benefits Ireland and the world.
TCD was founded in 1592 and is Ireland’s oldest university. There are currently about 17,000 students enrolled and it employs some 3,000 people.
Earlier this month, it fell from 129th to 138th in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2014-15.
At the time, Trinity’s Dean of Research, Professor Vinny Cahill, said the dip in its ranking was due to lack of funding.
TCD is ranked as Ireland’s top university.
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