PResident's RePORt 2009/2010 - University College Cork

Foreword
UCC at a Glance
Academic Developments
Teaching and Learning
Research
College Reports:
Arts, Celtic
Studies and Social
Sciences
Business and Law
Medicine and Health
Science, Engineering and
Food Science
Events
Student Experience
Sports and Recreation
Buildings and Estates
Cork University Press
Finance
Governing Body
IRIS Appendix
15
Research at UCC
University College Cork (UCC) is a world-class research-led
university that plays a key role in the development of Ireland’s
knowledge-based economy. Our research strategy is focused
on creating major centres of excellence for world-class research
and is aligned with key government strategies including the
Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation (SSTI), Building
Ireland’s Smart Economy and the Report of the Innovation
Taskforce. These initiatives set a number of performance targets
for research and economic development that seek to position
Ireland as an international hub for innovation.
Key performance indicators are detailed in UCC’s Strategy for
Research 2009-2012. Click here for more information. In the
academic year 2009/2010, all targets for research activity and
technology transfer were exceeded. Despite adverse economic
conditions and significant pressures on Exchequer funding,
overall research expenditure achieved in 2009/2010 was
almost €84m, a reduction of less than two per cent compared
to 2008/2009. 19 per cent of the research funds (€15.7m)
came from non-Exchequer sources. As new awards from EU
sources increased by 275 per cent in 2009/2010 (to over €13m),
non-Exchequer funding expenditure is expected to increase
significantly in 2010/2011 and the university is on course to
achieve its 20 per cent non-Exchequer research income target
by 2012.
2009/2010 also saw continued growth in relation to other key
research output metrics including the number of enrolled PhD
student numbers (1,135 students, an increase of 116 per cent
in six years), the annual output of PhDs (181 graduates, an
increase of 124 per cent in six years), and the frequency with
which UCC research is published and cited. Since 2006, UCC
researchers have published over 3,500 research articles in ISI
Web of Knowledge-indexed publications, including regular
appearances in the world’s top research journals.
In the QS World University Rankings 2010, UCC was placed 184
in the world, a rise of 23 places relative to 2009.
In addition to the implementation of the UCC’s Strategy for
Research against key performance indicators, UCC was the first
institution in Ireland to undertake a comprehensive and focused
review of its research activity. Research performance of all staff
was evaluated against international standards and criteria in an
independent process involving some 115 international experts
in 15 panels. A comprehensive report detailing the outcomes of
this exercise, including recommendations that will inform future
strategy, was published in May 2010. The review confirmed that
UCC has achieved distinction in its research output as well as
considerable success in the transfer of research to the market
place, with many areas performing at the highest international
level. A key outcome of the exercise was the conclusion that 18
per cent of the research output was deemed “outstanding” at an
international level in terms of originality, significance and rigour,
36 per cent was regarded as “excellent”, and 22 per cent “very
good” and likely to have a significant impact on research and/or
policy agendas.
UCC’s new Institutional Research Information System (IRIS) was
launched in 2010. IRIS is an easy-to-use, web-based application
that allows UCC researchers to maintain, update and publicise
their research profiles. The system is designed to reduce the
administrative burden placed on our researchers by allowing
their profile information to be re-used easily in multiple formats
including Quality Review submissions, Research Quality Review
submissions, and grant applications. In addition, by accurately
capturing the research output of the university and significantly
enhancing the efficient and timely dissemination of our research
activities, IRIS performs a vital outreach function for UCC. The
system also provides a framework for meeting the requirements
of funding bodies with respect to disseminating research outputs,
and it supports effective strategic planning by the university. A
comprehensive report capturing the publications output of the
university for 2009/2010 has been generated from IRIS — this
information is included as an appendix to this report.
Click here for more information.
UCC continued its commitment to the Innovation Agenda
through 2010. This was particularly manifest through the outputs
of the Office of Technology Transfer (OTT) where there were
over 20 new patent filings. Over 15 licenses of UCC and Tyndall
intellectual property – including the revolutionary junctionless
transistor – were signed with commercial and industry partners
and three new start-ups were launched out of the university.