DCU's Ballymun outreach centre 'DCU in the Community' - officially opened by Sean Haughey, TD

DCU in the community, officially opened today

DCU's new outreach initiative, 'DCU in the Community', was officially opened today by Sean Haughey, TD, Minister for Lifelong Learning.

The centre is part of DCU's ongoing civic engagement strategy that aims to link the resources of the university to its neighbouring communities. It is a new approach by an Irish university to reach out and include marginalised groups.

The mission of 'DCU in the Community' is to provide flexible educational opportunities to local residents in order to increase participation and promote equality in third level education. The centre recognises the individual talents of each student and will develop courses based on the students' needs. The university outreach centre will serve as a bridge to the resources of DCU.

Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, President of DCU, said that the opening of the centre was of major strategic importance to the university. "This centre is a new approach by an Irish university to reach out and include marginalised groups. DCU is keen to develop ever closer links with the community in which it is located, and already works in close cooperation with local primary and second-level schools in the surrounding area through the Access programme. We are now particularly pleased to extend this outreach work to all members of our local community, which can act as a stepping-stone into third level education".

Catherine Murray, Director of the Centre, says that DCU in the Community provides an opportunity for people who, for a variety of reasons, did not stay within the education system first-time around. "Regardless of the reasons for leaving school, whether personal, social or 'life circumstances', the centre aims to welcome back anyone who would now, at a more suitable time in their lives, like a second-chance to enter the education system. From this autumn, we will run a Foundation Certificate for mature students to enable them to gain places on full-time undergraduate courses in DCU".

In autumn 2009, the centre will offer a number of continuing education courses in a variety of subjects.

"We encourage anyone from the local area who is interested in taking part in our courses to get in touch with us; we will be happy to talk to them and encourage them to get involved", Catherine Murray said.

The centre has already successfully piloted a number of short courses to introduce people to third level education. Students are being introduced to new subjects and given a ‘taste’ of what it may be like to study at third level. The courses include communications, computers and personal effectiveness. Students are given personal and academic support and receive guidance in choosing an area of study. The project has received significant support from its two main partners Ballymun Regeneration Ltd (BRL), The City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee(CDVEC) through Whitehall College of Further Education.