EIB geeft 90 miljoen subsidie aan universiteit Dublin (en)
PRESS RELEASE
November 17, 2011
The European Investment Bank has agreed to fund redevelopments at University College Dublin as part of its engagement to support the knowledge economy in Ireland. The European Union’s long-term lending institution will provide EUR 90m for the ongoing transformation of campus facilities.
Agreement to fund the campus redevelopment project was signed at UCD, Dublin, by European Investment Bank Vice President, Plutarchos Sakellaris and UCD Vice-President for Finance, Gerry O’Brien.
UCD’s Belfield Campus is one of the finest university facilities in Europe. Funding from the European Investment Bank will be used to develop six buildings including the second phase of UCD’s Science Centre, construction of a new School of Law and refurbishment and construction of student accommodation.
The UCD Campus Development Plan 2010-2015 will make the campus more compact, concentrating related activities and separating academic and leisure functions. The overall redevelopment aims to consolidate and enhance this position of pre-eminence by providing future generations with a sustainable, healthy, and living campus.
“The European Investment Bank is committed to ensuring that world class education and research facilities can help future generations contribute to the European knowledge economy. Redevelopment of University College Dublin will benefit students studying on a modern, vibrant and sustainable campus and foster a greater contribution to Ireland and Europe as a whole.” said Plutarchos Sakellaris European Investment Bank Vice President responsible for Ireland.
”UCD is committed to playing the same leadership role for Ireland in a 21st century global context that it played for the new independent Ireland in the 20th century” said UCD President Dr Hugh Brady.
“The cutting edge teaching, research and student support facilities which this partnership with the EIB will enable will ensure that UCD consolidates and enhances its position at the top table of European universities”.
Development of the campus follows European efforts to increase investment in research and higher education, and will strengthen UCD’s role in an increasingly competitive academic environment. The ability to locate both industry and academia on the same campus will help increase links between the university and key Irish companies. The new campus development combines refurbishment of existing award winning buildings and provision of new facilities.
The project includes a range of environmental initiatives to improve working conditions and reduce the environmental impact of the 24,500 students and 2,000 staff on the campus. This includes energy efficient design of the Science East project that has been awarded a BREEAM rating of “Excellent” and is one of the first scientific buildings in Ireland to achieve this rating. The redeveloped campus will also provide a co-ordinated and sustainable commuting, parking and transportation regime. The project started in January 2011 and is expected to be completed in December 2015.
The European Investment Bank loans for education projects support the establishment of the knowledge economy in the European Union, which is one of the Bank's key lending priorities. The majority of EIB financing in human capital goes towards tangible investment in buildings and equipment, but a growing proportion goes to other investment such as academic research.
Notes for Editors:
The European Investment Bank is the long-term lending institution of the European Union created by the Treaty of Rome in 1958. Its task is to contribute towards the integration and balanced development as well as the economic and social cohesion of the EU Member States by making long-term finance available for sound. Besides supporting projects in the EU, the EIB’s main lending priorities include financing investments in future Member States and EU partner countries.
University College Dublin is Ireland’s largest university with approximately 25,000 students including almost 7,000 postgraduate and 5,000 international students. It offers the most comprehensive curriculum of any Irish university in pursuit of its threefold mission of teaching, research and innovation to the highest international standards.
It traces its origins back to the 19th century Catholic University of Ireland, whose first rector John Henry Newman produced the classic work The Idea of a University - one of the most enduring texts on the value of higher education and a source of inspiration for UCD’s current educational philosophy.
Alumni of the university include numerous Irish Presidents and Taoisigh (Prime Ministers) and generations of Irish business, professional, cultural and sporting leaders. Perhaps the best known of all its graduates is the writer James Joyce, who completed his Bachelor of Arts at the university in 1902.
Press contacts:
European Investment Bank: Richard Willis, tel.: +352 621 555758, e-mail: willis@eib.org ,
website: www.eib.org/press - Press office: +352 4379 21000 - press@eib.org
UCD: Dominic Martella, Media Relations, tel.: +353 +87 2959 118, e-mail: dominic.martella@ucd.ie