DCU has a short but impressive pedigree in postgraduate research. Having graduated its first PhD students in 1986, it currently hosts almost 600 research students. As part of the University’s research strategy, DCU appointed in early 2007 a Director of Graduate Research to lead its Graduate School. Key to this is the development of a more structured approach to graduate training. In June 2007, DCU Academic Council approved a proposal enabling the introduction of doctoral programmes with significant and formally accredited taught and work experience elements.  This proposal builds on DCU’s institutional strengths in graduate education.

The DRHEA will position the Dublin region as an international centre for graduate education by combining the strengths of five participating institutions while simultaneously facilitating strength and specialisation in the individual institutions.

Objectives

• develop a wide range of inter-institutional graduate programmes
• enhance the quality of PhD education by wide provision of advanced taught courses
• increase capacity in graduate education through collaborative delivery
• provide graduate education matched to the highest international quality standards to support competitive recruitment among the best international students, while retaining the best Irish students.

Outcomes and targets

• establish a standard scaleable framework for joint provision of advanced disciplinary and research methodology modules
• share best practice in the provision of transferable/generic skills
• provide a range of masterclasses involving international experts
• provide the administrative infrastructure to ensure student mobility and credit exchange
• develop innovative graduate programmes by providing additional short-term capacity to release key leaders and existing staff for development and implementation
• pilot the approach in a number of disciplinary and thematic areas in the first instance
• scale the approach to a wider range of disciplines within the lifetime of the project
• create a framework for joint strategic planning across cognate Departments/Schools within the DRHEA
• attract international students.

DCU will pilot projects in Physics, Chemistry, Engineering, Biomedical Sciences and Sociology/Politics/Public Policy.

Convenors

University College Dublin
Instituteof Technology Tallaght