Dublin City University (DCU) has launched a new student centre worth €15 million. The centre, known as the “U”, includes a student leadership and life skills centre, which is designed to aid students in developing essential life skills.
The new student centre also contains a global village, and an entrepreneurship and innovation hub. DCU has said that it hopes the global village will help them attract a wider range of international students. The building can host over 150 student clubs and societies and contains two “escape pods”, a social space for students with autism. It also provides a meeting point for international students, and a hub supporting student Enterprise initiatives.
DCU collected €8 million through a student levy, while the the remaining €7 million was gathered through college’s commercial activities and contributions from Bank of Ireland and Tony Ryan Trust.
The new student centre was officially opened by President Michael D Higgins yesterday. The President of the University, Professor Brian MacCraith said: “‘Today is significant because it demonstrates what can be achieved by partnership and generosity”.
DCU Students’ Union (DCUSU) President Vito Moloney Burke stated: “The place will be alive with club and society life and will serve as a platform for increased student engagement. Today is a representation of what a culture of collaboration between students and the university can achieve.”
DCU’s student community now stands at 17,000, and it is estimated that in the next decade, around 50,000 future students will benefit from the “U”.
This news comes around 18 months after Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) voted in favour of constructing a new student centre. The vote saw 88% of students vote in favour. The development is expected to cost around €6.7 on completion.
