University College Dublin

Not to be confused with University of Dublin, Dublin City University, or Technological University Dublin.

University College Dublin
Irish: Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath
MottoAd Astra; Cothrom na Féinne
Motto in English
To the Stars; Justice and equality
TypePublic university
Established1854; 170 years ago (1854)
Endowment€554 million (2022)[1]
Budget€718 million (2021/22)[1]
PresidentOrla Feely[2]
Academic staff
1,974[3]
Administrative staff
2,164[3]
Students37,889[3]
Postgraduates10,951[3]
1,666[3]
Location
Dublin
,
Ireland
CampusUrban, 133 hectares (330 acres)
LanguageEnglish, Irish, others
NewspaperCollege Tribune
The University Observer
Colours
AffiliationsAMBA
EUA
NUI
IUA
Universitas 21
UI
CESAER
Websiteucd.ie

University College Dublin (commonly referred to, in Ireland, as UCD) (Irish: Coláiste na hOllscoile, Baile Átha Cliath) is a public research university in Dublin, Ireland, and a member institution of the National University of Ireland. With 38,417 students, it is Ireland's largest university and among Europe's most prestigious.[4]

UCD originates in a body founded in 1854, which opened as the Catholic University of Ireland on the feast of St. Malachy with John Henry Newman as its first rector; it re-formed in 1880 and chartered in its own right in 1908. The Universities Act, 1997 renamed the constituent university as the "National University of Ireland, Dublin", and a ministerial order of 1998 renamed the institution as "University College Dublin – National University of Ireland, Dublin".[5]

Originally located at St Stephen's Green[6] and Earlsfort terrace in Dublin's city centre, all faculties later relocated to a 133-hectare (330-acre)[7] campus at Belfield, six kilometres to the south of the city centre. In 1991, it purchased a second site in Blackrock,[8] which currently houses the Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

A report published in May 2015 asserted that the economic output generated by UCD and its students in Ireland amounted to €1.3 billion annually.[9] Five Nobel Laureates are among UCD's alumni and current and former staff.[10][11] Additionally, four Taoisigh (Prime Ministers) and three Irish Presidents have graduated from UCD, along with one President of India.[12][13]

  1. ^ a b "Annual report and consolidated financial statements" (PDF). ucd.ie. Archived (PDF) from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  2. ^ "UCD latest Irish university to appoint female president". RTÉ.ie. 21 February 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d e "UCD by Numbers – University College Dublin". 24 February 2024. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
  4. ^ "UCD by numbers". 2020. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. ^ "History of the NUI". Nui.ie. Archived from the original on 7 January 2019. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  6. ^ "A day to remember Newman's contribution to Ireland". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 8 June 2021. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
  7. ^ "About UCD". Ucd.ie. Archived from the original on 4 July 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Our History". ucd.ie. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  9. ^ "UCD contributes €1.3 Billion annually to Irish economy, report shows". Ucd.ie. Archived from the original on 22 June 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
  10. ^ "Nobel Prize Winners". ucd.ie. Archived from the original on 2 December 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2015.
  11. ^ "Nobel Prize Winner Professor Richard Ernst". ucd.ie. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  12. ^ "About UCD: Over 160 Years of Heritage".
  13. ^ Rai, Mridu (6 December 2013). "University College Dublin announces special scholarships for Indian students". India Today.