Ethics Institute The Educational Trust supports the university’s initiative to create a multi-disciplinary Institute of Ethics. When fully funded, this Institute will focus on a broad range of applied ethical issues and will ensure that all undergraduate students, in every degree programme, have completed some core module in ethics as part of their education. Further to that, postgraduate research will include concentration on ethics in business and society as well as health care and life sciences. To date we have raised €2million towards the €5million goal.

Sports Academy DCU established the School of Health and Human Performance in 2001 and four years later was the first university in Ireland to introduce an admission policy recognising excellence in sporting achievement as an entry route to all DCU degree programmes. Last year our Sports Academy was launched, offering course flexibility and state of the art training facilities for up to 100 student athletes in gaelic football, athletics and tennis. To support the DCU Sports Academy’s programmes and Sports Scholarships the Educational Trust has embarked upon a €3 million fundraising goal over the next 5 years.

Intercultural Workplace Project: The Intercultural Workplace Project at DCU responds to the recent National Action Plan Against Racism Planning for Diversity that establishes a structured approach to combating racism and discrimination in Ireland during the period 2005 – 2008. Planning for Diversity understands that racism is a challenge to social cohesion and stability in any country and that Ireland must seek to become a more inclusive and intercultural society. The specific aim of the DCU Intercultural Workplace Project is to increase our understanding of the complexity and breadth of workplace diversity issues and to provide insights on the trends that are emerging in the field of diversity and inclusion. Interdisciplinary academic research will be conducted across key sectors to ascertain the current challenges as well as benefits posed by workforce diversity in Ireland. The research team will bring to bear education, business studies, law, psychology, sociology, health studies and intercultural specialists. Mc Donalds and Bord Failte are sponsoring PHD studentships under this project. DCU has already successfully attracted almost €800,000 from the EU Leonardo da Vinci Programme II fund to carry out a broad comparative policy-oriented study of these issues across 10 European countries, including partners from northern and southern Europe, established EU members and accession states.

Business and Innovation As Ireland’s leading innovation university, DCU intends to be at the centre of and at the service of such change and invites partners to join in this endeavour. The DCU Educational Trust seeks private sponsors to invest €3.5million in DCU’s strategic innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives. Donors will make a significant contribution to the future of Irish competitiveness through sponsorship of visiting faculty, innovation chairs and enterprise infrastructure.

New Engineering and Research Building

These new facilities for the faculty of Engineering and Design also incorporate Science and Engineering Research Centres. The research element is composed of the three National Centres: the National Centre for Sensor Research; the Research Institute for Networks and Communication Engineering (RINCE) and the National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology.

The Helix - Arts Centre

The 12,000 sq.m. Helix Arts Centre opened on 24 October 2002. It is a magnificent granite and glass building, costing €36.5 million. It is called The Helix after the helical-shaped staircase that dominates its entrance. It hosts three performance spaces: The Space, an experimental 150-seat studio space; The Mahony, a 1,200-seat open platform concert hall; and The Theatre, a 450-seat proscenium arch theatre. A major gift to the Centre was made by Dr. Tim Mahony and as such the concert hall has been named in Dr. Mahony's honour. The stage is one of the largest in the country, allowing The Helix to host everything from theatre to musicals and even ice shows. The facility also includes a gallery, exhibition space and artists-residence studios to accommodate artists working there on a day-to-day basis.

The John and Aileen O`Reilly Library

The O`Reilly Library opened its doors on 25th September 2000. The culmination of five years planning saw
the vision of a world class library become a reality. The design offers the DCU community a state-of-the-art building and establishes a new standard for library and learning environments in Ireland. The library, which is almost 3 times the size of its predecessor, is designed to cater for over 10,000 students and to integrate teaching, learning and research innovations being developed throughout DCU. The project was funded through a public and private partnership with half the money provided by the Government and the balance raised by the Educational Trust through private donors. In May 2000, a significant gift from the O`Reilly Foundation completed funding of the €22.2 building, which is named "The John and Aileen O`Reilly Library" in honour of Dr. Tony O`Reilly`s parents.

The Student Centre - The Hub

The Hub is a €5 million social space dedicated to accommodating DCU students with a variety of social activities. The Centre contains performance spaces, a café, a supermarket, a game room, workspaces, a bar, offices and DCU's Students' Union. The centre of the Hub is the Venue. This is the focal point for live music, theatre, performance, debate, dance and other social events. The Venue is equipped to the highest standard with an up-to-date sound system, adaptable seating and stages, a café, a restaurant and bar facilities.

Invent - The Innovation and Enterprise Centre

Invent is a €7.3 million innovation centre, located on DCU's campus. This state-of-the-art facility is a unique resource which will enable indigenous industry to grow and thrive. Invent will give entrepreneurs a jumpstart to the future, offering a dynamic purpose-built environment with value-added space in collaborative surroundings and a prestigious platform from which entrepreneurs can promote their companies and their products.

Multi-Storey Car Park

The multi-storey car park provides 800 spaces. It has five levels. Level 1 is a basement and level 2 is the ground level of the campus. The cars are parked six deep at levels 1, 2 and 3. At levels 4 and 5 the cars are parked four deep allowing these levels to be set back from Collins Avenue. Half the depth of the existing berm along Collins Avenue is retained. This is supplemented by a granite stone wall finish, to levels 2 and 3 of the car park. Levels 2, 3, 4 and 5 have a screen of vegetation both upright and overhanging, which give a verdant feel to the car park.

Supporting DCU Educational Trust