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National College of Ireland

Coordinates:53°20′56″N6°14′36″W/ 53.348896°N 6.24322°W/53.348896; -6.24322
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Not to be confused withNational University of Ireland.

National College of Ireland
Former names
National College of Industrial Relations
The Catholic Workers College
TypeIndependent Higher Education College
EstablishedFebruary 1951;73 years ago(February 1951)
ChairmanBrendan McGinty
PresidentGina Quin
Academic staff
204 full-time
Students6,000
Location
IFSC,Dublin
,
Ireland

53°20′56″N6°14′36″W/ 53.348896°N 6.24322°W/53.348896; -6.24322
CampusUrban
0.8 acres (0.32 ha)
Colours
AffiliationsQQI
Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
HETAC(2001-?)
NCEA (1976-2001)
Jesuits(1951-1998)
Websitencirl.ie

National College of Ireland(NCI) (Coláiste Náisiúnta na hÉireann(CNÉ) inIrish) is a not-for-profit, state-aidedthird-level educationinstitution inDublin.It was founded in 1951 as a joint venture between theJesuitsin Ireland and Irish trade unions, and was originally named theCatholic Workers College, Dublin.It is now an independent higher education institution, offering full and part-time courses fromundergraduatetopostgraduatelevel, in the areas of business, computing, psychology and education.

Courses are delivered both from theIFSCcampus in Dublin and online. The campus is located close to the city centre and is serviced by the Mayor Square – NCI stop on theLuas Red Line.Facilities available on the campus include a library, gym, restaurant, recreation room and the Students' Union. In October 2022, it was announced that NCI completed the purchase of the West Wing, Block R, Spencer Dock which allow for a campus expansion.[1]The building opened to students and staff in October 2023.

History[edit]

National College of Ireland's campus building in Dublin

In 1951, the National College of Ireland started out as theCatholic Workers College, Dublinin Sandford Lodge, Ranelagh.[2]Founded by Fr.Edward CoyneS.J., in association with Trade Unionists such asWalter Beirne[3]others involved in the college in its initial years included ProfessorThomas A. FinlayS.J., and Rev. Edmund Kent S.J. among others.

Lectures were led by a handful of dedicatedJesuitstwo nights a week, with 103 registered students in the first year. Within 10 years, student numbers had dramatically increased. Links withtrade unionsdeepened, as did formal collaborations with employer and management groups.

By 1966, nearly 1,300 students fromtrade unionand businessmanagementbackgrounds were learning together at the re-brandedNational College of Industrial Relations(NCIR).

In 1974-75, the College of Industrial Relations ran day-time short courses for the Unemployed.[4]

In 1976, the college achieved recognition by the states National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA), the forerunner of HETAC, for a number of its programmes.[5]

The institution again re-branded as the National College of Ireland (NCI) in 1998, with an expanded National Campus Network, and an array of outreach programmes across the country. As the NCI continued to grow, the land and buildings at Sandford Road were transferred by theJesuitsto the NCI Board of Management. The college’s Higher Certificate, Bachelor, Higher Diploma, and Master courses are accredited by the Irish government's Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI); a number of other short term courses are unaccredited.

At the turn of the century, NCI relocated to a 0.8-hectare (2.0-acre) site on Mayor Street in theDublin Docklands.[when?]A€25,000,000 fundraising campaign resulted in the development of a modern campus including 53 residential apartments accommodating 286 students and a new Business and Research Building.[citation needed]

In 2009 and 2010 the college ran a series of free debates called theInsight Debate Series,organised in partnership with The Irish Times and the radio station Newstalk 106-108 FM. The college'sLegends in your Lunchtimeseries saw public figures such as Ben Dunne, Willie Walsh and Giovanni Trapattoni interviewed live by a Newstalk presenter.[6]In 2012 the College's chairmanDenis O'BrienandJeffrey Ullman,emeritus Stanford professor and 2020ACM A.M. Turing Awardwinner,[7]opened the NCI's Cloud Competency Centre.[8]NCI was successful in 2021 in joining the European, Erasmus Charter in Higher Education (ECHE).[9]

In 2023, NCI appointed Brendan McGinty as chairperson of the college's Governing Body.

In late 2022, it was announced that the college had purchased a new building nearby at Spencer Dock to extend the existing campus. Building work was done to transform the building into an educational space with a number of classrooms added as well as an extended library across two floors, numerous group and individual study spaces, a restaurant and offices for the Early Learning Initiative. The building opened to students and staff in October 2023.

Faculties[edit]

The college has a number of faculties that are responsible for the delivery of courses:

School of Business[edit]

NCI’s School of Business is the academic home to over 2,500 students studying programmes at both undergraduate and postgraduate level. The approach to teaching is to blend a variety of classroom, group, and experiential activities to enhance the learning experience of students.

Dr Colette Darcy is the Dean of the School of Business at National College of Ireland.

School of Computing[edit]

NCI’s School of Computing has expanded greatly in the last few years, reacting quickly to changing needs and developments in the ICT sector. The programmes provide hands-on practical experience which produce exceptional graduates. The NCI School of Computing distinguished International Advisory Board consists of the following leading academics:

  • ProfessorJeffrey D. Ullman,Stanford W. Ascherman Professor of Computer Science, Stanford University (Board Chairperson)
  • Michael Franklin, Liew Family Chairman of Computer Science, Senior Advisor to the Provost for Computing and Data Science, Faculty Co-Director, Data Science Institute, at University of Chicago
  • ProfessorArmando Fox,Professor of Computer Science and Faculty Advisor for Digital Learning Strategy at UC Berkeley
  • ProfessorJohn E. Hopcroft,NCI Fellow and IBM Professor of Engineering and Applied Mathematics in Computer Science at Cornell University

DrPaul Stynesis the Dean of the School of Computing at National College of Ireland.

Centre for Education and Lifelong Learning[edit]

The Centre for Education and Lifelong Learning offers programmes in Early Childhood Education and Care, Further Education and Teacher Professional Development. NCI's faculty are at the forefront of education and learning innovation with research and practitioner expertise in Early Childhood Education and Care, Further Education, Technology Enhanced Learning, Lifelong Learning and design for 21st Century skills.

Dr Leo Casey is the Director of the Centre for Education and Lifelong Learning at National College of Ireland.

Courses[edit]

The college offers full and part-time courses – at undergraduate and postgraduate levels – in business, computing, psychology and education. The School of Business offers studies in human resource management, marketing, accounting, finance, management, entrepreneurship, international business and psychology, while the School of Computing provides education in data analytics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, software development, web development, blockchain and fintech. The Centre for Education and Lifelong Learning offers programmes in early childhood education, technology-enhanced learning and further education.[10]

Awarding Bodies[edit]

National College of Ireland partners with a number of validating bodies to ensure that all programmes achieve appropriate recognition within industry, both nationally and internationally.

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)[edit]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the Awarding Body for the Certificate, Diploma, Degree and Masters programmes offered by National College of Ireland (NCI).

Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD)[edit]

The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) is the professional body for HR and people development in Ireland.

Presidents[edit]

In February 2010 Dr.Phillip Matthewsjoined as president of the college, succeeding Dr.Paul Mooney.[12][13][14]In August 2016, Dr. Matthews was succeeded by Gina Quin, the former CEO of Dublin Chamber of Commerce.[15]

Honorary Fellowship[edit]

National College of Ireland, as did its predecessor, the National College of Industrial Relations, awards an Honorary Fellowship from time to time. Awardees have included:

  • 1988 – Sheila Conroy – trade unionist and president of The People's College[16]
  • 1998 – Dan McCauley
  • 1998 – Con Murphy – Chair of ESB Industrial Council
  • 2005 – Prof.John Hopcroft– computer scientist[17]and 1986 ACM A.M. Turing Award winner.[18]
  • 2009 – Rev. John Brady SJ – economist, who worked for the college for thirty years[19]
  • 2009 –Ken Doherty– former snooker world champion
  • 2009 – Maurice Healy – CEO of the Healy group
  • 2015 – Rev. Dr. Noel Barber SJ – who served on the board of the NCI
  • 2019 –Paul Reid (HSE)– former Director-General of the Health Service Executive
  • 2019 –Fr. Peter McVerry– founder of the Peter McVerry Trust

References[edit]

  1. ^[1]National College of Ireland, National College of Ireland announces campus expansion: October 2022.
  2. ^From Catholic Workers' College to National College of Ireland 1951-1998by Thomas Morrissey, S.J., Vol. 87, No. 347, Studies: An Irish Quarterly Review, Irish Province of the Society of Jesus, 1998.
  3. ^"Obituary: Mr W. Beirne",Irish Times,30 October 1959
  4. ^Courses for the Unemployed, the CIR Experimentby Bill Toner SJ, A Review of Adult Education,An Irish Journal of Adult Education,Vol.1, No.2, 1979,Aontas(The National Association of Adult Education).
  5. ^Citation for Reverend John Brady SJ on the occasion of the conferring of an Honorary Fellowship by the National College of IrelandArchived8 March 2012 at theWayback Machine,20 November 2009.
  6. ^Legends in your LunchtimeArchived20 July 2011 at theWayback MachineNewstalk 106-108FM.
  7. ^2020 ACM A.M. Turing Award: ACM Turing Award Honors Innovators Who Shaped the Foundations of Programming Language Compilers and AlgorithmsAssociation for Computing Machinery: April 2021.
  8. ^Cloud Competency CentreNational College of Ireland, Cloud Competency Centre: September 2012.
  9. ^Three institutions successful in ECHE 2021 Callby Gerry O'Sullivan, EU Ireland, 8 November 2021.
  10. ^"National College of Ireland > Courses | NCI".ncirl.ie.Retrieved10 October2016.
  11. ^Citation for Reverend John Brady SJ on the occasion of the conferring of an Honorary Fellowship by the National College of IrelandArchived8 March 2012 at theWayback Machine,20 November 2009.
  12. ^"College names former rugby star as president".The Irish Times.2 February 2010.Retrieved15 February2019.
  13. ^"When the former captain of the Irish team rings you, you answer the phone".The Irish Times.20 April 2010.Retrieved10 February2019.
  14. ^"Phillip Matthews".frontrowspeakers.Retrieved13 February2019.
  15. ^Mark, Paul."Gina Quin to become National College of Ireland president".The Irish Times.Retrieved10 October2016.
  16. ^"Sheila Conroy".The Peoples College.
  17. ^Hopcroft receives honorary fellowship and IEEE awardNews Computer and Information Science, Cornell University
  18. ^1986 ACM A.M. Turing AwardAssociation for Computing Machinery
  19. ^Jesuit Economist HonouredNews, jesuit.ie

External links[edit]

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