University of Limerick

The University of Limerick today begins three days of conferring ceremonies with over 1,600 students graduating, including 77 PhD graduates.  The most recent graduate survey showed that 84% of UL’s graduates are either employed or pursuing further study.  Employer demand for UL graduates continues to grow, with UL graduate employment rates continuing to exceed the national average.  

Professor Don Barry, UL President, said, “UL has an excellent graduate employment record.  The most recent Graduate Employment Survey records an encouraging 5% increase in the employment of UL graduates.  UL has, over the years, consistently recorded an employment rate higher than the national average with the UL edge ranging between 8% and 12%.  In other words, UL graduates have an 8-12% better chance of gaining employment as compared with other university graduates.  UL graduates have shown themselves to be ready for the workplace, highly-skilled and more employable than their peers from other Irish universities.  In 2011 UL was independently evaluated by the international university rating agency QS Stars.  We are delighted to have been awarded the maximum 5-star rating in 6 categories namely, teaching, engagement, internationalisation, innovation and knowledge transfer, infrastructure, and employability of our graduates.”

Professor Barry concluded by saying; “It is encouraging to see that over the next three days no less than 77 doctorates will be conferred on UL graduates in recognition of their advanced research.  The University of Limerick places a high value on collaboration with industry and seeks to translate fundamental research into innovative solutions for challenges in the real world.  The University continues to outperform international benchmarks for delivery of commercial licences and spinouts per euro invested.  Our commercialisation success had led to 114 new invention disclosures, 53 patent applications, 27 licence agreements and 8 campus companies in the past 5 years, attracting in excess of €40 million in investment funding and employing 80 people locally.  94% of UL’s 2010 PhD graduates are in employment with the vast majority of these working in Ireland.  Our culture of questioning, innovation and creativity had led to this success and will lead to much more.  Our graduates are taught to think outside the box and to question the world around them.”

UL Chancellor, Peter Malone urged graduates to remain focused and positive; “Today there is a lot of doom and gloom in our country, but it is important to keep positive.  Over the past 10 years many exciting things have happened in the University of Limerick such as the Campus extending into Co. Clare and now home to the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance among other developments.  In June 2011, 32 new doctors graduated from UL for the first time.  The Kemmy Business School has the first purpose built, campus trading-floor in Europe, our excellent University Arena has a state-of-the-art sporting facility.  And UL has developed many interesting and diverse programmes that benefit learners of all ages.  One I would like to mention is the contribution the University is making through its Irish Language Promotion Unit “Aonad na Gaeilge”.  It ensures students and staff on campus understand the importance of our heritage and the part our Irish language has played in our past. ”  

This week over 1,600 graduates will receive awards from the University of Limerick in a range of disciplines including, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences, Business, Education & Health Sciences and Engineering & Science.  Some 77 PhDs will also be awarded as part of UL's commitment to Fourth Level education in Ireland.

8% - 12%  sa bhreis de Sheansanna Fostaíochta ag Céimithe Ollscoil Luimnigh

Tá tús á chur inniu le trí lá de shearmanais bronnta céime ag a mbronnfar céimeanna ar os cionn 1,600 mac léinn, 77 céimí PhD san áireamh.  Léiríodh sa suirbhé is déanaí a rinneadh i measc céimithe go raibh 84% de chéimithe UL fostaithe nó ag tabhairt faoi bhreis-staidéar. Tá éileamh ar chéimithe de chuid UL i measc fostóirí ag ardú i gcónaí, agus tá an rátaí fostaíochta i measc céimithe UL ag leanúint ar aghaidh ag sárú na meán-rátaí náisiúnta. 

Dúirt an tOllamh Don Barry, Uachtarán UL, “Tá sár-thaithí ag Ollscoil Luimnigh ó thaobh fostaíochta i measc céimithe.  Is ardú meanmna é an méadú de 5% atá tagtha ar ráta fostaíochta chéimithe UL a léirítear sa Suirbhé Fostaíochta is deireanaí i measc Céimithe.  Tá méan náisiúnta an ráta fostaíochta á shárú go leanúnach thar na mblianta ag UL, idir  8% agus 12% de shárú.  Lena chur ar bhealach eile, tá 8-12% níos fearr de sheans ag céimithe UL fostaíocht a fháil i gcomparáid le céimithe ó ollscoileanna eile. Tá sé léirithe ag céimithe UL go bhfuil siad ullamh don ionad oibre, go bhfuil ardscileanna acu agus go bhfuil siad níos infhostaithe ná a gcomhghleacaithe ó ollscoileanna eile na hÉireann.Rinne gníomhaireacht idirnáisiúnta rátála ollscoileanna QS Stars meastóireacht neamhspleách ar UL i 2011.  Tá ríméad orainn gur bronnadh an rátáil is airde, rátáil 5 réalta, orainn i 6 chatagóir, siad sin, teagasc, idirghníomhú, idirnáisiúnú, nuálaíocht agus aistriú eolais, infreastruchtúr, agus infhostaitheacht ár gcuid céimithe.”

Mar fhocal scoir dúirt an tOllamh Barry; “Is mór an t-údar misnigh é go mbeifear ag bronnadh an  oiread le 77 doctúireacht ar chéimithe de chuid UL thar na trí lá amach romhainn mar aitheantas ar an ardtaighde atá déanta acu.  Áiríonn Ollscoil Luimnigh ardluach a bheith ar an gcomhoibriú le hearnáil na tionsclaíochta agus féachann muid le go mbeadh taighde bunúsach inúsáidte mar réitigh nuálacha do dhúshláin an tsaoil mhóir.  Cruthaíonn an Ollscoil níos fearr ná na tagarmharcanna idirnáisiúnta ar bhonn leanúnach ag seachadach ceadúnais tráchtála agus seach-chuideachtaí in aghaidh gach euro a infheistítear.  Déanadh, de thoradh an rath tráchtálaíochta seo, 114 faisnéisiú ar aireagáin nua, 53 iarratas ar phaitinn, 27 comhaontú ceadúnais agus bunaíodh 8 gcuideachta campais a mheall cistiúcháin infheistíochta d’os cionn €40 milliún agus a chuir fostaíocht ar fáil go háitiúil do 80 duine le 5 bhliana anuas.  Tá 94% de chéimithe PhD de chuid Ollscoil Luimnigh fostaithe agus an chuid is mó acu sin fostaithe in Éirinn.  An ceistiúchán, an nuálaíocht agus an chruthaitheacht inár gcultúr is cúis leis an rath seo agus tiocfaidh tuilleadh dá bharr.  Múintear dár gcuid céimithe a bheith neamhshrianta ina gcuid smaointeoireachta agus an saol máguaird a cheistiú.”

D’áitigh Seansailéar UL, Peter Malone ar chéimithe a bheith dírithe agus dearfach; “Tá an drioll ar an dreall ag go leor daoine sa tír, ach tá sé tábhachtach a bheith dearfach.  Tá a lán nithe spreagúla tarlaithe in Ollscoil Luimnigh le 10 mbliana anuas, ina measc, síneadh an Champais thar Cho. an Chláir isteach agus áit curtha ar fáil do Dhámh Chruinne Éireann Rince agus Ceol chomh maith le forbairtí eile.  Bhronn Ollscoil Luimnigh céimeanna ar 32 dochtúir nua i mí an Mheithimh 2011 don chéad uair.  Is i Scoil Ghnó Kemmy atá an chéad urlár trádála campais sainthógtha san Eoraip, tá saoráidí spóirt den chéad scoth ag Airéine breá na hOllscoile.  Agus tá a lán cláir spéisúla, éagsúla, á gcur ar fáil ag UL le freastal ar gach aoisghrúpa d’fhoghlaimeoirí.  Ceann amháin ba mhaith liom a lua ná an saothar tairbheach atá á dhéanamh ag Aonad na Gaeilge de chuid na hOllscoile, aonad a chuireann an Ghaeilge chun cinn. Cinntíonn sé go mbíonn tuiscint ag na mic léinn agus ag an bhfoireann ar an gcampas ar thábhacht ár n-oidhreachta agus ar an ról a bhí ag an nGaeilge inár stair.”  

Dámhfaidh Ollscoil Luimnigh dámhachtainí ar 1,600 céimí i réimse disciplíní an tseachtain seo, lena n-áirítear sna Dána, sna Daonnachtaí agus sna hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta, i nGnó, in Oideachas agus sna Eolaíochtaí Sláinte, agus in Innealtóireacht agus in Eolaíocht.Dámhfar 77 PhD freisin mar chuid de thiomantas Ollscoil Luimnigh d’oideachas Ceathrú Leibhéal in Éirinn.