Each year we welcome thousands of our alumni back to campus, for Mentoring events, Reunions, Choral Scholars or Symphony Orchestra performances, Spoken Word events, Alumni Awards and the UCD Festival, or simply to pay a nostalgic visit to relive those great memories of student days.
We are delighted to welcome you back and are always looking for ways of improving and evolving our event programme to make sure we have something for everybody.
We will keep you informed about our events as they happen. Make sure to update your details with us at the link below to ensure that you receive email updates and that you’re not missing out on that special event!
Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Following the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change starkest warning yet, urgent action to combat climate change and minimise its disruptions is integral to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the future of the planet. With the Development Goals 2030 deadline looming, explore what exactly these goals are; if we are globally on schedule to succeed in their implementation; how that can happen and what role Ireland plays in their development and adoption.
Join our host, UCD Earth Institute Director, Professor Tasman Crowe and expert panelists Professor Patrick Paul Walsh, Professor of International Development Studies, UCD School of Politics and International Relations, David Donoghue, Former Permanent Representative to the United Nations and Dr Orla Kelly, Assistant Professor in Social Policy at the UCD School of Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice.
UCD Alumni Awards 2021
The UCD Alumni Award winners are an inspiration to us all and continue to lead the way and make a global impact. In conversation with broadcaster and UCD alumnus Pat Kenny, this year we celebrated creative and sporting legends, global business leaders, human rights advocates, transformational change makers, and real life healthcare superheroes!
London Lord Mayor Show - 13 November 2021
UK alumni chapter representatives, David O'Reilly, Eoin Lyons and Jeremy Boles were honoured to celebrate the appointment of Vincent Keaveny as the 693rd Lord Mayor of the City of London, serving as the elected head of the City of London Corporation and a global ambassador for the UK-based financial and professional services industry until November 2022.
A group from the UK Alumni Chapter attended The Lord Mayor's Show in The City of London on November 13th with everyone proudly wearing their finest UCD colours to cheer and wave at the New Lord Mayor as he passed by their viewing perch next to Saint Paul's Cathedral at midday.
Following the conclusion of the show, the group hosted a buffet lunch for the Lord Mayor's Show guests afterwards in the nearby Livery Company Hall of the Worshipful Company of Apothecaries. The Chapter Reps were delighted to be joined by the Immediate Past Master of The Worshipful Company of Educators, Mr Richard Evans, to further cement the strong ties between The City of London and UCD and its extensive alumni network in the UK.
Rising Energy Costs and Blackouts. Are Data Centres to Blame?
There are 70 Data Centres in operation across Ireland, with 54 in Dublin alone; making it the Data Centre capital of Europe. Learn about their impact on energy consumption, bills, power outages and Ireland’s ability to achieve its emissions and renewable targets by 2030.
Join our expert panelists, Professor Andrew Keane, Director of the Energy Institute at UCD and Director of the SFI Energy Systems Integration Partnership Programme (ESIPP), Garry Connolly, Founder of Host in Ireland, and Associate Professor Damian Dalton from UCDs School of Computer Science.
What it Takes... to network like a pro
Join this worthwhile conversation with Dr Martin Russell, Advisor at The Networking Institute, and Siobhán McKenna, Head of Equality, Diversity & Inclusion at the Public Appointments Service, to discover essential skills and practical tips you can try today to network more effectively.
Learn how you can:
– Adjust your approach to get the most from professional relationships
– Hone skills to have constructive online (e.g. LinkedIn) and in person interactions
– Share ideas and insights to build valuable long-term connections
Climate Neutral Dairy Farming
Agriculture accounts for 35.3 percent of Ireland’s greenhouse gas emissions, of which 95 per cent are emissions associated with livestock agriculture.
Join Professor Kevin O’Connor, Dr Fionnuala Murphy and Enda Buckley, Director of Sustainability at Carbery, for a stimulating discussion on the Farm Zero C Project, aiming to achieve net-zero emissions, which has received €2m in SFI funding to help it deliver climate-neutral dairy farming by 2027.
What it Takes… to thrive in global teams
Join dynamic young alumni Nicai de Guzman, Content Marketer Specializing at Wolfgang Digital, Emmet Daniels, Business Development Representative at Hubspot, and expert in the field Dr Linda Yang, Programme Leader, Intercultural Development Programme at UCD, as they share their experiences and offer advice on how you can learn to thrive in multicultural environments.
Learn how you can:
– Identify and improve key skills to help you in your career now and in the future
– Enhance your ability to navigate potential challenges in teams
– Stand out among others in front of current and future employers
What it Takes… to excel in the hybrid workplace
Learn from UCD alumnae Criona Turley, CEO at Capella Workplace Solutions, and Dr Ellen Brady, Talent and Organisation Strategy Manager at Accenture as they share insights on:
– Resetting habits for the future of work
– What to expect from employers during this transition
– How to navigate career changes, progression & promotions
This valuable conversation offers expert advice and suggestions on how to achieve the healthy blend between the office office and your home office while aspiring to hit professional goals in this ever changing environment.
UCD Golden and Diamond Jubilee Reunion 2021
Join alumni from the classes of 1961 & 1971 as we mark this milestone anniversary.
Featuring alumni from the Classes of 61 and 71 in conversation and reminiscing with former broadcaster and arts manager, Doireann Ní Bhriain (BA 1970, HDip Ed 1971), widely known for presenting the Eurovision Song Contest in 1981 amongst many other presenting and broadcasting roles. Join us as we take a trip down memory lane with: Dr Tony Scott & Charles Lysaght from the Class of 1961, and Éanna Ní Lamhna, Class of 1971, as well as messages from Frances Fitzgerald MEP, Class of 1971 and Dr Desmond Green, Class of 1961.
Enjoy a showreel of alumni memories and hear from UCD President, Professor Andrew J Deeks who joins the celebration.
Cybercrime causes, trends and prevention
Cybercrime is one of the fastest evolving and expanding criminal areas globally, with law enforcement and other defence entities often lacking the necessary resources and research to keep up. 3.96 billion people use social media, so it’s inevitable that identity theft, cyberstalking, cyberbullying and, sadly, child predators will be a reality for some.
Join our panel of experts, Cliona Curley, Cybercrime Analyst and Co-Founder of CyberSafeKids, Paul Darcy, Digital Forensic Specialist and Cindy Murphy, President and Founder of Tetra Defense, a US-based Digital Forensics, Incident Response and Cyber Risk Management company.
Ireland’s Housing Crisis
Housing in Ireland continues to be a headline topic across the media as more people feel the dream of owning a home seems ever out of financial reach. With a younger generation unable to afford a property of their own and another older generation facing an impending insecure retirement paying rent, what’s the reality behind the headlines and what we can do to make a change?
Cian O’Callaghan, Social Democrat TD and UCD alumnus, Michelle Norris, Director, at the Geary Institute for Public Policy at UCD and Aidan Regan, Associate Professor, UCD School of International Politics and Relations appear in this episode of UCD in Conversation.
Sustainable Development, what role does sport play?
While sport is known to be an offender when it comes to unsustainable practices there has been a major shift within clubs, organisations and events to refocus and seize the opportunity that comes with engaging in sustainable development. Carbon neutral stadiums, social inclusion projects, contribution towards mental health, skills development and philanthropy are examples of how sport is contributing to building a healthier, happier world.
Join Professor Eleni Theodoraki from UCD’s School of Public Health, Physiotherapy and Sports Science in conversation with Giovanni Di Cola, Special Advisor at the International Labour Organization and Dr Míde Ní Shúilleabháin, Voluntary Chair of the GAA Green Club Steering Group as they discuss the power Sport has in contributing to the truly global issue of our planet’s sustainability.
The Irish economy on the frontier of globalisation: policies for today and tomorrow
This conversation considers Ireland’s economic position today, the economic challenges and opportunities faced as we emerge from the pandemic, and the role of policies in building resilience to the crises of tomorrow. Sharon Donnery, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Ireland, and Danny McCoy, CEO of Ibec, speak with Emmet Oliver, Lecturer at the Quinn School of Business and former journalist and broadcaster.
Bloomsday 2021: Why Ulysses Matters
On Bloomsday 2021, we were joined by Simon O’Connor, Director of Museum of Literature Ireland (MoLI), Professor Anne Fogarty, Professor of James Joyce Studies at UCD, and Katherine McSharry, Deputy Director at the National Library of Ireland, as they discussed the significance of Ulysses for the work of MoLI and Joyce’s significance for UCD. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn about the living legacy of a book that has shaped Dublin’s identity and Irish literature for the last 100 years.
UCD Festival @ Home 2021
The unique and award-winning UCD Festival brought the global UCD community of students, alumni, future students and the wider general public together to join us for an engaging free virtual festival in 2021.
Click here to watch back the UCD Festival @ Home 2021.
Global Perspectives Series
Global Perspectives is an interview-style mini-series supporting the UCD Festival @home 2021 featuring UCD alumni, academics, and friends worldwide. These lively and virtual discussions focus on global topics of interest to our UCD community and beyond.
UCD Festival@home 2021 Launch
Join Broadcaster, writer and UCD Festival literary curator Rick O'Shea in conversation with some of this year's festival collaborators, including science communicator Phil Smyth, UCD School of Architecture's Ellen Rowley and UCD Newman Fellow and Poet Julie Morrissy as they talk through the festival programme and preview some of the festival highlights that will feature across the festival weekend 27-29 May 2021.
UCD in Conversation: 100 Days of Biden
Featuring our guests Professor Liam Kennedy, UCD Clinton Institute, Dr Suzanne Lynch, Washington Correspondent for the Irish Times and Professor Scott Lucas, Professor of American Studies, University of Birmingham, we will reflect on the paramount first 100 days of President Biden’s term. Rife with executive orders, economic stimulus packages, vaccinations for the masses and social revolution, have President Biden’s first 100 days lived up to expectations?
What it Takes… to navigate the future of work
2020 raised significant questions about how work as we know it will change, and what we can do to make the most of it. Hear from UCD alumnus Nubi Kay’, Ops Program Manager at Stripe and President of African Professional Network Ireland, who walks us through how to harness the emerging trends and challenges facing today’s workforce, including:
– Emerging jobs and industries to consider
– New in-demand skills to learn
– What remote work will look like post-pandemic
UCD in Conversation: Transforming Ireland’s Energy Sector
Professor Andrew Keane, Director of the Energy Institute at University College Dublin and Director of the SFI Energy Systems Integration Partnership Programme (ESIPP). Paul Manning, co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer for NovoGrid appeared in conversation with PJ Rudden, Founder of Aengus Consulting Ltd, and Chairman of Construction Innovation and Digital Adoption at Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to discuss energy production in Ireland and how UCD spin-out NovoGrid can improve energy efficiency with GridBoost technology.
