University College Dublin (UCD), Ireland’s global university and a leading European research-intensive university, was established over 160-years ago

Internationally focused and forward-looking, UCD recently launched ‘Shaping the Future’, a new research and innovation strategy. This strategy sets out its ambitious plans to build on its success to date and grow the excellence and impact that it delivers in all aspects of its research and innovation activities and at a scale that allows for real impact in areas of national and global significance.

At the heart of the university’s research and innovation mission is a deep commitment to delivering real-world impact in many different spheres. Through this, UCD makes its mark in numerous ways and is considered Ireland’s leading university for commercialization, innovation, and knowledge transfer.

Professor Orla Feely, Vice-President for Research, Innovation, and Impact at UCD, discussed the university’s strengths, global outlook, bold plans for the future, and its collaborations with industry.

“Research and innovation are central to all that we do in UCD. We seek to deliver excellence and impact across our broad range of disciplines and at all scales, from outstanding individual investigators to major strategic research centers. We are responsive to emerging opportunities and play an active role with our partners in exciting developments across an array of sectors.”

USA Collaborations

To achieve impact through research and innovation, UCD collaborates widely with industry bodies both at home and abroad, including some of the most prominent and successful multinationals in the United States, including Abbott, Analog Devices, IBM, Intel, Mastercard, Stryker, and Xilinx.

Professor Feely stated, “Collaboration with industry is very important to us. We work with foreign multinationals, large Irish companies, and small and medium-sized enterprises, as well as with cultural and social organizations.”

“One example of a great partnership with a major USA company is our work with IBM Research and other partners on the development of a national Quantum Computing platform. This is an exciting space for us in UCD, and we have recently established a new Center for Quantum Engineering, Science, and Technology (C-QuEST) to develop and commercialize new quantum technologies and train a ‘quantum literate’ workforce. 

“It brings together and builds upon the significant expertise within UCD on quantum science and technologies and provides a gateway for industry partners and spin-out companies. For example, Equal1 Laboratories, a UCD silicon-based quantum computing spin-out with offices on campus and in California, recently became the first company to demonstrate a fully integrated quantum processor unit (QPU) operating at 3.7 kelvin, a milestone with implications for the trajectory of quantum computing.”

She continued, “Working with key industry partners brings mutual benefits at multiple levels, supporting research, driving innovation, and developing the talent pipeline.”

Pushing the Frontiers of Knowledge

UCD prides itself on its innovative ethos, collaborative spirit, and commitment to deriving impact from excellent research. This manifests not only in the university’s work with established companies, but also in the formation of companies spinning-out from UCD research activities and support for spin-in companies locating on campus and working with the UCD research community. Spin-out companies are an important mechanism to transform ideas into products and services which benefit the economy and society while also encouraging an entrepreneurial mindset within UCD researchers and students.

Professor Feely said, “Since 2003, UCD has supported over 400 companies and early-stage ventures, and there are more than 60 high-tech start-ups located on campus at any one time including at NovaUCD, our Center for New Ventures and Entrepreneurs, and at NexusUCD, our Industry Partnership Center.

“UCD, through NovaUCD, was recently chosen as a global strategic partner by the University of California, Berkeley, for its Berkeley SkyDeck start-up accelerator program. We are also partnering with SVG Ventures | THRIVE, a leading global Agrifood Venture and Innovation Platform headquartered in Silicon Valley, on its European Challenge program.”

Looking to the Future

Through collaborations like these and a healthy cross-fertilization of ideas, UCD hopes to achieve objectives outlined in the ‘Shaping the Future’ strategy and to continue to make contributions of global and national significance. 

Professor Feely concluded, “At UCD we are forging opportunities to create a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable society. Our researchers have risen to the challenge of the COVID-19 pandemic with great determination, and we now look forward to the resumption of full activity on our campus, bringing excellence and interdisciplinary creativity to solving problems, expanding horizons, delivering impact, and shaping the future.”