Dublin universities open their joint Innovation Academy

Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin have officially opened their new Innovation Academy, welcoming the first intake of 33 PhD students.

The Academy, set up a part of the Innovation Alliance that has been forged between the two universities, aims to transform the PhD experience by “imbuing” creative thinking and innovation. It will develop “a new breed of graduate”, with a disciplinary and technical expertise that is “fused with an ambition to create new enterprises, enhance public service and further harness Ireland’s cultural heritage.”

The 33 PhD students, from diverse disciplines, will study for a Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The Provost of Trinity College, John Hegarty, and the President of University College, Hugh Brady said the opening of the Academy was a practical demonstration of the progressive cooperation between Ireland’s leading universities, “With the Innovation Alliance, we laid out our vision for a meaningful partnership which was built upon the strengths of our institutions. In reaching this important milestone, it is very clear that we are competitors not against one another, but in the world arena.”

The Academy is a departure from existing programmes at the two universities, which between them account for 50 per cent of PhD training in Ireland. Paul Coughlan, Course Co-Director, said, “We are educating our PhD students to recognise the innovation potential of their research and to exploit their new ideas in multidisciplinary teams in a competitive world. We see innovation in its broadest sense, encompassing the creative arts, social entrepreneurship, science, engineering, technology, humanities and business.”