UCD RISES IN WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS
UCD is ranked 118th in the latest QS World University rankings, up eight places from last year. This marks the third consecutive year of upward movement for the University, which also remains in the top 100 for employment outcomes, at 88th globally.
Among best in the world for subjects and sustainability
Four subjects at UCD are ranked in the top 50 globally in the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2025. The top-ranking subjects are Veterinary Science (33), Petroleum Engineering (34), English Language and Literature (41) and Nursing (44). A further nine subjects at UCD are listed in the top 51- 100, with a particularly strong representation across Arts and Humanities.
In the latest sustainability rankings, UCD is ranked number one in Ireland and 49th in the world, and is the only Irish university to make it into the top 100 globally. This reflects UCD’s commitment to sustainability and is based on the University’s performance in the areas of environmental impact, social impact, and governance.
Ireland’s top business school
UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School is named Ireland’s top business school in the latest Financial Times rankings and is ranked among the top 30 business schools in Europe for the ninth consecutive year. In the 2025 Financial Times MBA rankings, the school’s full-time MBA programme is ranked 73rd globally and is Ireland’s only MBA programme to make it into the prestigious top 100 list.
NovaUCD named one of Europe’s leading start-up hubs
NovaUCD is among the top 150 start-up hubs in Europe for the second year running, in the latest Financial Times rankings. It is one of only five start-up hubs and the only university-based hub in Ireland to feature on the list.
Mulcahy Papers Digitised
The digitised papers of 20th-century Irish revolutionary and political leader General Richard Mulcahy were launched at UCD James Joyce Library in January. The papers – generously donated by the Mulcahy Trust to UCD Archives in 1970 – provide in-depth accounts through materials such as correspondence, reports and memoranda of various events during the War of Independence. They are gradually being made available in the UCD Archives reading room throughout 2025.
Highly Cited Researchers Among World’s Most Influential
Three researchers and an Adjunct Professor at UCD are among the top 1% of the world’s most cited academics, according to the latest Highly Cited Researchers report by Clarivate Analytics. Professors Paula Bourke and Da-Wen Sun in UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering, Professor Eliana Souto in UCD School of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering, and Dr Brijesh Tiwari, Adjunct Professor in UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering are all on the list, which identifies and celebrates individual researchers whose work has disproportionately extended the frontiers of knowledge and contributed to making the world healthier and more sustainable.
Ireland’s Maths Superwomen
Dr Christiana Pantelidou, a Research Fellow in UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics, is leading a nationwide outreach project to inspire and empower girls in primary school to consider careers in STEM. Posters in English and Irish celebrating the achievements of seven Irish female mathematicians are being distributed to schools and community centres across the country.
Lifetime Achievement Award for Dónal Lunny
UCD Musician in Residence Dónal Lunny has been honoured with the prestigious lifetime achievement award at the annual RTÉ Irish Folk Awards. The renowned musician and composer has long been a driving force behind the popularity of Irish folk and traditional music, and is a founding member of seminal bands Planxty, the Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, Emmet Spiceland and Coolfin.
Lunny is one of three artists in residence who joined the Creative Futures Academy at UCD in 2021. He is based in the School of Irish, Celtic Studies and Folklore, where he runs workshops for students and advises on module and programme development. The Creative Futures Academy is dedicated to developing Ireland’s next generation of writers, artists, filmmakers, producers, musicians, and designers. It is a collaborative project between UCD, IADT and NCAD and a range of industry partners, including RTÉ and the Arts Council.
Acclaimed Broadcaster and Oscar-nominated Filmmakers among Recipients of UCD Honorary Degrees
UCD has awarded an honorary degree to award-winning broadcast journalist Orla Guerin in recognition of her great courage and expertise in reporting from conflict zones across the globe. The Dublin native became RTÉ’s youngest foreign correspondent, covering the collapse of the Soviet Union and the breakup of the former Yugoslavia, before she joined the BBC as International Correspondent in the Middle East. In a career that has led to numerous honours, including an MBE for Services to Broadcasting in 2005 and repeated Emmy and BAFTA nominations, she has covered foreign affairs, wars and disasters over many years.
Honorary degrees were also conferred on Colm Bairéad and Cleona Ní Chrualaoi in recognition of their outstanding achievements in the field of Irish language filmmaking and the global success of their feature film An Cailín Ciúin, the first ever Irish film to be nominated in the ‘Best International Feature Film’ category at the Academy Awards.
Other recipients of honorary doctorates from UCD in the past year include business leaders and philanthropists Angela Moore and Tony Smurfit, healthcare activist Missie Collins, former EU Commissioner Mairéad McGuinness, and renowned folklorist Professor Henry Glassie.
James Joyce Award Honour for Stephen Fry, Daniel Wiffen and Danny Boyle
In the past academic year, UCD’s Literary and Historical Society (L&H) has honoured Olympic champion Daniel Wiffen, actor, broadcaster, comedian and writer Stephen Fry, and acclaimed film director and producer Danny Boyle with James Joyce awards. Considered among the highest honour that any student body in Ireland can bestow, the James Joyce award is presented to public figures who have made an outstanding contribution in their field. Daniel Wiffen is a two-time world champion swimmer who made history at the Paris Olympic Games, winning gold in the 800m Freestyle and bronze in the 1,500m Freestyle. Stephen Fry has received multiple awards and nominations for his work throughout a career spanning more than three decades. Among Danny Boyle’s best known works are Trainspotting, The Beach, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2009. He also directed the opening ceremony for the 2012 Olympic Games in London. ucd.ie/news
Met Éireann Partners with UCD on Weather and Climate Research
AI expert Professor Andrew Parnell has been appointed to lead anew multi-million-euro research programme in aground-breaking partnership between UCD and Met Éireann, the Irish Meteorological Service. The Met Éireann Weather and Climate Research Professorship was established to bridge the gap between research and operations by examining the context of high impact weather, flood forecasting and the understanding of Ireland’s climate. It will leverage the full power of data science and AI-based technologies to make Ireland better prepared for extreme climate and weather scenarios, and support the protection of life, property and infrastructure.
The aim is to create a world-class weather and climate research centre at UCD that plays a significant role in supporting Met Éireann to achieve its strategic objectives around enhancing citizen safety, bolstering economic and environmental resilience, and supporting multi-sectoral decision-making.
Following an international peer review process by Met Éireann, UCD’s application was selected based on its demonstration of excellence and impact, and its commitment to collaboration and knowledge transfer for the benefit of society and the economy.
UCD Matheson Corporate Governance Partnership
UCD and law firm Matheson have begun a partnership to support the teaching and research of corporate governance and related law at UCD Sutherland School of Law. The partnership will include the appointment of anew assistant professor, the introduction of the Matheson UCD Governance Hackathon, which will see Law students working in teams to apply original thinking and problem-solving skills to fictional scenarios in corporate governance, and anew seminar series in which leading experts and practitioners will discuss and analyse the latest developments in corporate governance, company law and compliance.
UCD Strengthens Strategic Partnership with UC Davis
UCD and University of California, Davis have signed an agreement of cooperation to address some of the most pressing global challenges. This latest agreement builds on over a decade of collaborative research and exchange between the universities and will focus on the themes of sustainable food systems, One Health, artificial intelligence and data science. Past collaborations have addressed a range of themes including agrifood, veterinary medicine, law, environmental research and health sciences. Both universities bring a depth of expertise and innovation to the long-standing strategic partnership.
The signing ceremony took place during the Universitas 21 Annual Network Meeting at UC Davis. The event was attended by Daniel Kearns, Talent and Innovation Attaché at the Consulate General of Ireland in San Francisco, who spoke of the exceptional quality of research in Ireland, emphasising that the most impactful research emerges through collaboration. He highlighted research as a cornerstone of societal progress, economic growth and inclusive, forward- thinking development, and described the partnership between UCD and UC Davis as a model for other universities to follow.
UCD Relay for Life
This year’s UCD Relay for Life raised over €86,000 for the Irish Cancer Society, which will go directly towards funding cancer research, and services such as night nurses and counselling for families affected by cancer all around Ireland. The 24-hour relay took place on the UCD athletics track and the event included a Candle of Hope ceremony, where those present were invited to lay a candle along the relay track in memory of a loved one lost to cancer. The event was the largest ever Relay for Life college event outside the US.
UCD Delivers First National Training Programme for Special Needs Assistants
UCD delivered the first dedicated national training programme for special needs assistants (SNAs). The comprehensive online programme, commissioned by the National Council for Special Education, was delivered by UCD School of Education, supported by UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. It consisted of five modules over 10 months, and covered areas such as the principles of inclusive education, supporting students with autism, understanding the primary care and medical needs of students with additional needs, and communication and language difficulties.
There are approximately 20,000 SNAs now working in the Irish education system, providing crucial support to students with additional care needs at primary, post-primary and special schools. Since 2021, more than 1,300 SNAs have been conferred with a Diploma in Inclusive School Support from UCD.
WHO Designation for the UCD Centre for One Health
The UCD Centre for One Health has been designated a WHO Collaborating Centre on One Health – the first of its kind in Europe. One Health is a collaborative, multisectoral and transdisciplinary approach that recognises that the health of people is closely connected to the health of animals, plants and their shared environment. The WHO designation provides UCD with significant opportunities to exchange knowledge and information with other world-leading institutions and drive research, education, and collaboration in One Health at national, regional and global levels to address the complex challenges facing humanity.
Artificial Intelligence Courses at UCD
Emerging AI technologies have the potential to transform business and healthcare, and shape societal norms. UCD is at the forefront of AI education and research in Ireland, offering a range of postgraduate courses and qualifications in the field. These include MSc degrees in Advanced Artificial Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence for Medicine & Medical Research, a Professional Diploma in Artificial Intelligence & Business Analytics, and a Professional Academy Diploma in Advanced Artificial Intelligence.
UCD is a ‘Living Lab’ for Sustainability
UCD is on a path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. eUniversity has reached its interim targets and is informing wider climate mitigation and adaptation actions.
Sustainability is a core value of UCD’s diverse community of staff, students and alumni. Together, we are committed to achieving environmental, societal, cultural, economic and governance goals for sustainability. The UCD Sustainability Plan to 2030 is anew, action-oriented roadmap for how the University will maximise its contribution to achieving sustainability at local, national and global levels. is will be achieved through education, research and innovation, campus infrastructure and operations, the UCD community, and partnerships and wider engagement.
Central to the vision is the concept of UCD as a ‘living lab’, where students, staff, and the wider community collaborate on real-time sustainable practices and research. A focal point for creative problem solving and collaborative innovation is UCD Greenacre, anew experiential sustainability hub located within a woodland area of the Belfield campus. UCD Greenacre will showcase the many sustainability initiatives underway across UCD and will also be an incubator for sustainability innovation. Inaugural pilot projects will focus on learning about circular food systems by implementing innovative approaches to food production, waste reduction and resource recovery, among other things.
Tri-Continental Sustainability Competition
A team of students from UCD won second prize at the inaugural Tri-Continental Sustainability Competition, which was held at the University of Notre Dame in March. The competition is part of a three-year collaboration between UCD, Notre Dame (USA), and Strathmore University (Kenya) that brings students from different continents together to exchange perspectives and develop new ideas to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals. is year’s competition was on the theme of sustainable food systems. The UCD Nutribot team pitched their idea for an app to help users eat both nutritiously and sustainably. The Nutribot app uses a holistic health approach and includes AI-powered recommendations. UCD will host next year’s competition, which will focus on energy, and in 2027 participating students will travel to Kenya and focus on water.
UCD Students Win Top Prize in EirGrid’s CleanerGrid Competition
Mechanical engineering students Ruairí Collins, Eoin Duffy and Stephen Murphy are winners of the second annual CleanerGrid contest, which tasks third-level students with solving critical energy challenges, with a focus on sustainability, efficiency and clean energy technologies. The competition addresses a specific aspect of Ireland’s clean energy transition, and this year’s theme asked students to present a vision of what the growing energy sector will need to look like in 2050 to have sustainably achieved net-zero emissions. The UCD team, dubbed Todhchaí Glas, claimed the top prize of €12,000 for their proposal showing how pumped hydro energy storage could help with managing wind and solar energy variability.
Green Library Award for UCD Library
UCD Library has been named this year’s winner of the Green Library Award in recognition of its commitment to environmental sustainability. The International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions awarded the coveted prize to UCD Library for its practice of upcycling, recycling and rehoming old furniture as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the James Joyce Library. Much of the old furniture, which dates back to the 1970s, has been upcycled and offered to local communities instead of going to land ll. The UCD Library Furniture Recycling Team has donated hundreds of items to local schools, community centres, afterschool programmes, Men’s Sheds, and the St John of God Hospitaller Services Group, as well as to individuals in the UCD community.
UCD and Northeastern University Collaborate on New Masters Programme in Sustainability Engineering Leadership
UCD and Northeastern University have announced the establishment of anew double masters degree programme in Sustainability Engineering Leadership. The collaboration between the two universities further strengthens ties between Massachusetts and Ireland as hubs of innovation and sustainability. This first-of-its kind degree programme was developed in response to the growing global demand for expertise in sustainability and leadership within the engineering sector, and it aims to equip graduates with the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to drive meaningful change across industries worldwide. Beginning September 2025, the programme offers a global student cohort the opportunity to study during their first year in Boston and their second year in Dublin.
UCD Joins the Race to Zero
UCD has officially joined the Race to Zero for universities and colleges. The initiative unites more than 800 higher education institutions worldwide in a shared mission to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 50% by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. It is part of a broader United Nations-backed campaign to mobilise businesses, cities, financial institutions and academic organisations to deliver a resilient zero-carbon future. UCD’s membership signals the University’s commitment to environmental leadership, as it works towards a 2040 deadline for a net-zero UCD.
UCD Expert Selected for New IPCC Climate Project
UCD’s Professor Gerald Mills is one of only two experts from Ireland chosen to co-author a report on cities and climate change by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). One of the world’s most eminent scientific bodies, the IPCC provides regular scientific assessments on climate change, its implications and potential future risks, and recommends adaptation and mitigation actions.
Professor Mills is a physical geographer who works on the climate of cities. He was nominated for the IPCC project by Ireland and by the World Meteorological Organisation, and was selected from 1,201 nominations submitted by IPCC’s national focal points and observer organisations. The IPCC Special Report on Climate Change and Cities will, for the first time, assess the role of cities in climate change at all scales, from global to urban, to understand how best to develop cityscale mitigation and adaptation efforts.
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