News

DCU achieved great success when the Centre for Academic Achievement.

19 July 2010

DCU achieved great success when the Centre for Academic Achievement (CAA) programme won a Taoiseach Public Service Excellence award at Dublin Castle. From a total of 250 entries across the public service, some 20 projects were selected to win awards presented by the Taoiseach in Dublin Castle on July 8. This is the first time DCU has won such an award.

The Centre for Academic Achievement (CAA) programme has allowed over 900 primary school students, from socio-economically disadvantaged areas of Dublin to attend special after school classes at Dublin City University since its establishment in 2006. This programme is a collaboration between the ACCESS Service and Irish Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) at Dublin City University. The decision to start these classes was taken after a ‘needs-analysis’ report from local primary school principals highlighted the lack of support for bright students from classes in disadvantaged areas. Using a Steering Committee of interested parties from various schools, teachers were asked to identify students who could participate and greater develop their academic talent. Provisional funding for this project was obtained from Discover Science and Engineering (DSE) so eligible students would not have to pay for these classes. The goal was to encourage students who traditionally would not have access to university resources and materials towards an academic path and to fulfil their potential. Some of the subjects that students have studied so far include medicine, forensic science, aeronautical engineering and architecture,