Welcome to Generation 21

Generation 21 is a unique programme of initiatives whose purpose is to shape our graduates into well-rounded individuals, ready to make an impact on society and on the workforce. It includes opportunities such as the INTRA work placement, which sees over 800 students take up paid internships with companies in Ireland and worldwide each year; the Study Abroad experience, where partner institutions in over 100 institutions provide study opportunities for DCU students and the Uaneen module, a module which rewards credit for excellence in extra-curricular engagement.

Building on these key university initiatives, DCU staff worked with industry to identify the key skills and competencies which we believe students need to develop during their time at the University in order to become well-rounded graduates ready to make an impact on society and on the workforce. These DCU Graduate Attributes now form an integrated part of the degree programmes at DCU, allowing students to develop them in an integrated and consistent way.

Outside of the classroom, students are given the opportunity to build on these attributes through engagement with clubs and societies, volunteering work, professional development opportunities, mentorship programmes and developmental programmes. The AIM framework provides students with the structure to incrementally develop these skills.

The latest in the initiatives developed under Generation 21 is the DCU learning Portfolio - Loop Reflect - an online tool which provides students with a structured online environment to develop and monitor their development during their time at the University and beyond. This tool will become the student's own learning space, documenting their academic, personal and professional development at DCU.