More than 2,000 students received their degrees from Dublin City University at a series of five ceremonies held over Friday and Saturday. This is the largest number to be awarded at any one time in the history of the university. It includes those graduates who were unable to attend the March ceremonies due to the foot and mouth crisis.

The ceremonies, presided over by DCU's President, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski, marked the achievements not only of individual students, but also the contribution made to Irish society by Fr Peter McVerry, who was awarded an honorary doctorate.

At the conferring ceremony today Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski said that universities must become more involved in taking the major decisions for the development of Irish society and the Irish economy.

"Universities are not just educational institutions but highly developed 'knowledge organisations', which should be at the centre of the knowledge-driven modern state", he said. "DCU intends to play a more direct role, in partnership with the business community and the state, in promoting inward investment initiatives and the promotion of employment, and DCU will be seeking partners to develop viable commercial opportunities."

DCU also intends to be a key player in tackling social disadvantage and exclusion, and it proposes to play a more direct role in the regeneration of deprived areas in its neighbourhood.

Professor von Prondzynski said that, through these measures, DCU would be the most innovative and progressive university in the State.

ENDS

For further details:

Eilis O'Brien, Tel: 700 5217 or 087 2057125
Eileen Colgan, Tel: 7005656