UCD Smurfit School Chair Niall FitzGerald KBE calls on Irish government to seize unique opportunity to position Ireland as a global hub for research following Brexit referendum.

Worsening of teacher: pupil ratio must be reversed – Implementation of Cassells Report on third level funding without delay a priority.

“This is not the time to play politics with a vital national resource so I urge all sides to grab this opportunity so we can emerge strengthened rather than diminished by not wasting our chances.” - FitzGerald

Dublin: Thursday, 6th October, 2016: Speaking at the launch of the UCD College of Business Vision 2020 – a €65million investment programme to move UCD’s business schools from their current top 100 global ranking to Top 50 international status within five years – Niall FitzGerald, Chair of UCD Smurfit School’s Advisory Board called on the Irish government to seize the unique opportunity to position Ireland as a global bub for research following Brexit referendum:

"Of immediate worry for the UK and a definite opportunity for Ireland are signs that critical funding for education and research are drying up. The sector that is so vital to the UK’s future well-being is being cut-off from €1 billion of EU funding for its universities and its researchers across Britain and Northern Ireland. Already, some of the world’s leading researchers are seeking a new base within the EU facing loss of their lead role on key research projects or indeed outright exclusion from pan-European research consortia. It is absolutely in their interest and that of Ireland’s universities that new partnerships are formed between the two islands that can quickly stave off a brain drain to elsewhere in the EU. We need to find ways both to work with the UK but also to compete on our own account. Ireland does provide an attractive proposition for the displaced and talented academics and research funding which the EU bestows on their work".

"Ireland has the potential to attract the world’s best researchers but our universities – most of them – are falling behind in world rankings, with the exception of UCD College of Business, just when they need to be winning research projects by moving up. The primary reason is the worsening of the teacher:pupil ratio – a trend which we must reverse".

"The Irish government must seize this unique opportunity which now arises to position Ireland as a global hub for research and a necessary first step needs to be the implementation of the Cassells’ report without delay so we can ensure the future funding environment for a sustainable university sector moving up the world rankings at speed. This is not the time to play politics with a vital national resource so I urge all sides to grab this opportunity so we can emerge strengthened rather than diminished by not wasting our chances".

“What we’ve have heard from UCD College of Business today in the context of its strategy to attain Top 50 global status is a key component. We’re already seen, as an international school, that our rankings are improving. Our strategy positions us to lead on European and international collaborations. Indeed, there are strong parallels between the strategic pillars which we at UCD College of Business have defined as critical to its development. The four key areas in which we can and must win are – improved international rankings – to offer our people a great place to make a life as well as a living – tapping into our alumni, by leveraging our international diaspora who know our world-class businesses to help tell our story and encourage our connections to support our endeavours – and leveraging the opportunities of managing our networks by positioning our leaders and entrepreneurs in powerful and influential alliances that help us truly punch well above our weight.” FitzGerald added.