Dublin City University

Describing itself as a 'university that looks to the future,' Dublin City University (DCU) has been broadening the horizons of students on its lively campus since it opened in 1980.

A large expansion programme throughout 2015 and 2016 saw the incorporation of several colleges under the DCU umbrella, including St Patrick's College Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute of Education and Church of Ireland College of Education.

With DCU’s expansion came an increase in its academic portfolio. The university offers a total of 70 taught programmes across Humanities and Social Sciences, Science and Health, Engineering and Computing and DCU Business School faculties including 10 different degrees in teacher education (DCU has established the first faculty of education in an Irish university).

Occupying a 72-acre site in the Glasnevin area, just north of Dublin itself. DCU is home to over 12,000 registered students, including full-time undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as students doing distance learning.

The university boasts a number of Research and Enterprise Hubs that facilitate research partnerships between academics and external organisations.

It also comprises the John and Aileen O'Reilly library, with 400 workstations, 1,200 seats and 18 collaborative rooms. It bills itself as the first university library to put digital records on the same footing as books and journals, granting access to some 250,000 volumes, a number that is growing as technology improves.

Its campus also includes restaurants, a theatre and conference centre, a crèche and a university sports complex.

DCU's other major focus is business and enterprise: the university estimates 50,000 of their graduates are employed in significant positions within industry. It also prides itself on its USTART start-up accelerator programme, which supports students by lending them space and funding to launch their own businesses.

The university separately runs a series of summer schools as part of a 'DCU in the Community' programme. These involve public talks in the nearby area of Ballymun, on topics recently including social psychology, public speaking and mental health.