Dublin City University has announced a €230 million capital development plan which will see infrastructural improvements and an expansion across its four campuses over the next five years.
The plans will see the student body grow by 16,000 with the development of further on-campus accommodation, a new student centre, modern digital teaching spaces and a larger capacity in research and innovation.
The Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) has committed long-term funding of €54m to the plan. The funds will be used to specifically target student accommodation projects.
The Fund has voiced an appetite to raise up to an additional €66m, subject to the proposed project investments meeting its dual mandate of commercial return and economic impact.
The European Investment Bank has provided a €76m loan to DCU for the project.
The investments will allow for the upgrade of facilities on the All Hallows Campus and construction of more student accommodation.
It will facilitate the construction of two new floors on the F Building on the St. Patrick’s College campus, providing additional capacity in view of the incorporation of St. Pats, Mater Dei Institute of Education and the Church of Ireland College of Education into DCU.
The Glasnevin campus is to see many structural changes in the coming years, with plans to buy-back existing campus residence and undergo construction of 560 on-campus student accommodation. This will bring the the overall on-campus accommodation capacity to 2,200.
Amongst other plans for the Glasnevin campus is the rolling out of an IT transformation and teaching equipment renewal programme, extensions to the Stokes and Lonsdale Building, providing more lecture theatres, the refurbishment of Albert College as well as a new 3,000 square meter Nano-Bioanalytical Research Facility.
While construction of a new Student Centre for students’ social, cultural, global engagement and entrepreneurial activities is to commence this summer.
DCU President Brian MacCraith said that the announcement “heralds the commencement of a massive transformation project for Dublin City University” which will see the extension of DCU’s geographical footprint in North Dublin.
“As Ireland’s fastest growing university, DCU is committed to developing an environment which will shape the critical thinkers and problem-solvers of the future,” he said.
“We can now fully embark on this ambitious programme of development which will not only advance our mission of excellence in education, research and innovation but also enhance the DCU student experience of a growing student body which will number 16,000 on completion of incorporation of St Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, Mater Dei Institute of Education and the Church of Ireland College of Education in September this year,” MacCraith added.
Hayley Halpin
Image Credit: Ross Kavanagh
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