UCD Innovation Academy Year In Review 2023/24

UCD INNOVATION ACADEMY YEAR IN REVIEW 2023 / 24

UCD INNOVATION ACADEMY A LOOK BACK AT 2023 / 2024

INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? GET IN TOUCH, ELEANOR.KELLY@UCD.IE PUBLISHED AUGUST 2024

Table of Contents 2023/24 At A Glance

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Growing Our Engagement with Undergraduates

3

Embedding Employability in the Curriculum

9

Fostering Interdisciplinary Innovation at our MakerSpace

13

Enhancing Teaching & Learning Through Creative Technologies

17

Explorers: Engaging Student Talent From Across UCD

29

Working with PhD and Masters Students

31

Supporting Student Entrepreneurship - Hult Prize

32

Bringing UCD into the Community

34

Contributing to an Exciting UCD Campus Life

35

Postgraduates & Lifelong Learning

37

Celebrating the Successes of our Alumni

47

Sustainability at UCD Innovation Academy

51

A Creative Approach Grounded in Academic Rigour

55

Final Academic Year of the Human Capital Initiative

57

Our Continued Work in Transforming Education

58

Growing our Collaboration with UCD Beijing-Dublin International College

69

Delivering Innovation with Enterprise

71

International Advisory Board Convenes in UCD

81

2023/24 At A Glance

928 UCD Undergraduate students taking our optional electives

10

Years delivering undergraduate electives

Members of a Ukrainian choir who performed in our Shackleton Lounge

1

15

Prototype demonstrating farming on Mars

1

13

MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability students in its first year

37

UCD schools who participate in our electives

145 UCD Masters and PhD Students

916 Lifelong Learners

2023/24 At A Glance

170 Veterinary students using our MakerSpace Cows Head in class

6

Years of collaboration with Vietnam National University

1

New programme in Innovation and AI, co-delivered with CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for AI

54,000 Employees in EXL, our new enterprise partner

10,000 Visitors to Dublin Maker who visited our MakerSpace stall

1 Eirsat 1 Model made in our MakerSpace & on in display in Explorium, Ireland’s Science Centre

8 Years partnered with ESB

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Growing Our Engagement with Undergraduates

2023/24 was our tenth year offering undergraduate electives at UCD. We began in 2013/14 with 33 students and this year 928 undergraduate students took our optional electives. In 23/24 we launched two new electives combining our core focus of creativity and innovation with new themes in digital and sustainability: Design a Digital Future, where students explore cutting-edge technologies, such as Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality, Artificial Intelligence and blockchain; and Design a Sustainable Future, which empowers students to create solutions to real-world sustainability challenges.

MODULES 2023/24

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Virtual Reality for Future Skills

Design a Sustainable Future

Creative Thinking & Innovation

Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Design Thinking

Design Your Life

Designing the Future

Social Entrepreneurship

Design a Digital Future

Innovation for Sustainability

Design a Digital Future

The "Design a Digital Future" module is a 10-week elective offered to all UCD undergraduate students.

The module takes on the global challenge of digitalization by equipping students with a digital mindset, essential for future careers. Throughout the module, students gain hands-on experience with emerging technologies, including AI, AR/VR, metaverse and blockchain.

This year, the inaugural class’ final extended reality (XR) projects, leveraging AR and blockchain for cultural storytelling, was showcased at South by Southwest 2024 in Austin, Texas, an annual conference and festival renowned for its convergence of the interactive, film, and music industries.

Immersive experiences crafted for the #SXSW2024 AR walking tour.

From tales of Malahide Castle ghosts to the legendary Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley and Dublin's infamous Dracula, their projects brought the spirit of Ireland to Austin, Texas.

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Students also learned from industry in a series of talks bridging academia and industry to address crucial topics such as Web3 career opportunities, tokenizing real-world assets, and immersive data visualisation. The series equipped participants with knowledge essential for navigating and shaping future technological landscapes. Guest speakers include experts like Alex Grona (Founder of Velox XR), Marco Pizzini (Co-Founder of Metagate), Caolan Walsh (Public Relations at Gitcoin and Co-Organizer of ETH Dublin), and Brenda Lopez Silva (Data XR Visualization Specialist at NASA's Earth Information Center) .

5

Undergraduate Students: 928 Total Undergraduate Modules

14

0

50

50100

Creativity & Innovation

145

Creativity & Innovation (Online)

145

72

Design Your Life (Online)

121

Essentials of Entrepreneurship (Online)

75

Design Your Life

69

Innovation Sustainability (Online)

69

Essentials of Entrepreneurship

66

200

100

Designing the Future

52

Innovation for Sustainability

50

Virtual Reality Future Skills

45

Social Entrepreneurship

37

Social Entrepreneurship (Online)

26

Design a Digital Future

10

Design Thinking

9

Design a Sustainable Future

9

Top disciplines our undergraduate students come from

18

17 17 Medicine

23

128

28

Commerce Computer Science Economics Science - Omnibus

33

Mechanical Engineering Nursing (General)

46

72 48

Commerce (International) Architectural Science Sociology

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Absolutely my favourite module I’ve ever done. It was really transformative for my whole learning experience. I didn’t know you could sit down in a classroom and learn so much by not just taking notes and reading lecture slides, it was great because it’s not like other forms of learning.

Ruairi, 1st Year BSc Sustainability Design a Sustainable Future

You get to be creative, it’s very interactive, and it’s a very rewarding module to take. It improved my communication skills, challenged me positively, and enhanced my creativity and teamwork skills.

Lola, 2nd Year Sociology Creative Thinking & Innovation

I really enjoyed the hands-on learning, meeting people from different courses and hearing from real entrepreneurs and their experiences. It was a really fun, creative, and interactive module.

Sophia, 1st Year Commerce Essentials of Entrepreneurship

Some skills I’ve learned would be empathy, research skills, and product design. I’d describe the module as fun and challenging - but in a good way.

Shaam, 4th Year Politics, Philosophy and Economics Essentials of Entrepreneurship

It’s very much a change of pace to what I'm used to in college. You learn some soft skills that you might not have been able to use otherwise, like teamwork and communication. The module is both open and creative, allowing you to express yourself and develop new ideas.

Ebuka, Electrical Engineering 3rd Year Virtual Reality for Future Skills

Some skills I learned were laser cutting, vacuum forming, and 3D printing. It’s very different from my degree; I’d never get the chance to learn these skills in college normally, but I’ve really enjoyed it.

Isobel, 2nd Year Drama & History Designing the Future

The main skills I learned were critical thinking, presenting skills, and creative skills. The module coordinators create such a nice, comfortable environment that you can really thrive at the Innovation Academy.

Jack, Social Science, 4th Year Creative Thinking & Innovation

Some skills I learned were design thinking, leadership and planning a start up Vadim, 2nd Year BSc Sustainability Design a Sustainable Future

Embedding Employability in the Curriculum In March, 91 students were hosted by Deloitte in their HQ in Dublin over a week.

This was the second year of our collaboration with Deloitte which sees our popular Creativity and Innovation undergraduate elective delivered off campus at Deloitte HQ. This year three classes of students undertook an immersive week with Deloitte, working on real challenges assigned by Deloitte experts in the areas of the Future of Work, Sustainability and Large Scale Change communication.

The students experience the same Creativity and Innovation elective facilitated by Innovation Academy facilitators however with the added benefit of applied learning in a real workplace.

Students present their work to Deloitte Partners and Subject Matter Experts, and receive feedback in realtime. This immersive, collaborative experience provides students from first to final year with a work integrated learning opportunity, supporting the learning of vital knowledge and skills to support future employability, among other benefits.

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Deloitte is thrilled to partner with the UCD Innovation Academy module, facilitating the convergence of students from diverse courses to create a dynamic environment where creativity flourishes during our week of challenges. The unique perspectives offered by students provide valuable insights into the challenges we face, proving to be beneficial for our teams.

Furthermore, students gain intimate access to our teams, acquiring insights into our work and exposure to lots of career options that may have previously eluded their consideration.

Emer Sherlock, Deloitte Ireland Alumni and University Engagement Lead

Extremely grateful for the opportunity to have been in Deloitte with UCD Innovation Academy this week. This experience has helped me grow both personally and professionally, equipping me with valuable skills for the future.

Maebh, Creative Thinking & Innovation

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Our Challenge Based Learning means we work with hundreds of companies and organisations every year to provide our students with real-world social, technological, environmental and economic challenges of urgency and significance. This learnerdriven approach allows employers to engage with UCD students in a dynamic and engaging format. It deepens the learning experience for students and allows them to acquire crucial transversal skills and workplace acumen to support their future career.

Guest lectures and bespoke programmes for enterprise are other ways we engage external organisations. Below are some of the organisations we engaged with in 23/24.

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Fostering Interdisciplinary Innovation at our MakerSpace

UCD Innovation Academy MakerSpace equips learners from all backgrounds with the confidence, knowledge and skills to work with a range of technologies.

We are intentional about the machinery and technology we introduce, aiming to foster curiosity and exploration while providing students access to emerging and cutting-edge technology. In parallel, we help learners cultivate key innovation skills such as interdisciplinary collaboration, problem solving and decision making.

Crucially, our MakerSpace is staffed by a dedicated team of Technology Integration Managers who bring many years experience in MakerSpaces, Fab Labs, AR/VR, sustainability and more.

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We at exVal, the winning team of the 2023 Nova UCD Student Enterprise Competition, trace a large part of our success back to the MakerSpace. Presenting a technical device, we knew that showing a physical design would be key. The MakerSpace made this possible, and with this help we were able to produce a mockup design for our final pitch.

Throughout our entire journey we received invaluable advice and critical feedback from all Innovation Academy staff, proving vital to a successful technical design and business model.

3D printed heart for UCD School of Biology

Simon Peter, exVal, Biomedical Engineering Student

3D printed parts of a historical chariot for UCD School of Archeology. The chariot was used as a teaching aid in class, allowing an easy and accessible way to augment the learning experience for students.

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This year, we added new tools to the MakerSpace that enhance our capabilities and expand the creative horizons for our community.

Every piece of equipment has a learning objective built into it, ensuring that we use technology purposefully, not just for its own sake. Moreover, our equipment complements other technologies and methods as we build out the MakerSpace’s offerings. We also keep sustainability in mind with everything we do, including creating ways to recycle 3D-printed waste and bottles.

Newly Acquired Equipment:

Pusa XL 5-Printhead Multi-Filament 3D Printer: Supports multiple colors, materials, and large-scale prints, providing diverse and dynamic printing options.

Anycubic M5 Large Scale Resin 3D Printer: Delivers high-resolution and high-temperature mold making capabilities.

Insta360 VR Camera: Perfect for creating immersive VR experiences that captivate and engage.

Weller Soldering and Electronics Workstation: Essential for precise electronic projects and repairs.

Plastics Recycling and Filament Extruders: Allows the creation of 3D printer filament from recycled bottles and plastics, promoting sustainability.

DAP Node: Facilitates advanced blockchain research.

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Enhanced and Expanded Capabilities: 3D Printing: Offering resin, plastics, recycled plastics, carbon fiber, and full-color printing options.

Vacuum/Pressure Forming: Suitable for mold making and creating specialty parts.

Computer-Controlled Vinyl/Paper Cutting: Precision cutting for various projects.

Laser Cutting/Engraving: Enables detailed and intricate designs.

Augmented Reality Devices: Including projection mapping for innovative AR experiences.

VR Headsets: Providing immersive virtual reality interactions.

Product Photography: High-quality equipment for capturing professional product images.

Small Hand Tools: Available for various repair and maintenance tasks.

By integrating these new tools and expanding our capabilities, MakerSpace continues to be a hub for innovation, creativity, and community engagement. We look forward to seeing the amazing projects our members will create with these new resources.

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Enhancing Teaching & Learning Through Creative Technologies In 23/24 we continued to enhance teaching and learning across UCD through creative technologies from our MakerSpace and our team of Technology Integration Managers.

Investigating Farming on Mars Through MakerSpace Prototyping and AR We collaborated with Ireland's pioneering space genomics project, MARSCROP, which aims to transform Martian soil for farming. Funded by the European and Canadian Space Agencies and led by UCD, this project explores the potential of harnessing microbes in plant root systems to produce safe and nutritious food on Mars.

The project aims to develop crops that can thrive in polluted or challenging environments, both on Earth and in space. This work not only supports sustainable agriculture but also addresses environmental challenges. UCD Innovation Academy produced a model using our MakerSpace technologies and also designed AR interaction to further augment the learning experience.

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Improving Student Engagement Through AR Enhanced Education In 23/24 we successfully grew our collaboration with the UCD School of Biology and Environmental Science to devise ways to integrate creative technologies into their teaching and learning. A number of successful pilot projects led to the development of the ENABLAR project.

The project, currently under review for SFI funding, aims to harness contemporary augmented reality (AR) technology alongside UCD’s leadership in sustainability, cell biology, agriculture, and space research to help transform scientific accessibility, collaboration, and education in Ireland.

It includes:

AR in the classroom: to complement educational approaches across biological sciences through the integration of AR, aiming to advance and enrich the student lecture and laboratory practical learning experience.

Visualising research: to advance research collaboration by utilising AR for data visualisation, including across multiomic (diverse genetics and biochemistry) sciences, to facilitate the interpretation and communication of contemporary complex data.

Engaging with the public: to improve public engagement in science through public cross-college interactive AR experiences, showcasing and enhancing understanding of advanced agriculture and astrobotany research ongoing in Ireland.

The collaboration is already producing unique and innovative education tools that will position UCD, and Ireland, at the forefront of educational innovation.

Special acknowledgement goes to MakerSpace Explorer Leo Humphrey Newman (Computer Science, Third Year) for his role in this project.

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By integrating AR technology into lectures and practical sessions, this project aims not only to improve student engagement and learning outcomes but also to help set a new standard for innovative teaching methods in Ireland.

The potential impact of the ENABLAR project is extensive. We envision a future where integrated AR-enhanced education becomes the norm, not just within UCD, but across educational institutions throughout Ireland. We hope this project can serve as a model for how technology can transform education, making complex scientific concepts accessible and engaging for all students.

Dr. Nicholas J. B. Brereton Assistant Professor/Lecturer Ad Astra Fellow School of Biology and Environmental Science

Via a dedicated website, students can access module pages, where they can find any models that will be used in that class. Models can also be shared by multiple modules. Everything runs directly on the website, allowing students to access it without having to download an app or program.

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The models are presented along with complementary information. Students can rotate and zoom the models to view them from different angles, allowing a much deeper understanding than traditional simple 2D images. They can also be presented in customisable 360 degree environments to provide additional context.

The models can contain interactable labels, as well as information including images, videos, and interactable sequences: for example to be able to scroll though layers of an x-ray or microscopic scan. This can provide additional context and interaction to the 3D models - with the combination of the two providing a much more interactive experience than standard 2D textbook material.

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The students can select specific areas of the model, allowing more detail and information to be presented for important parts, in the context of the full model.

Each area can have more detailed labels, additional images and information, and even specific animations to illustrate movements.

The 3D models are also accessible in Augmented Reality, allowing them to be viewed in ways impossible with traditional 2D formats.

The models can also have animations to explore, for example, the movement of a beating heart.

The project has the scope to create custom 3D models to suit the specific needs of each class. These can be highly detailed and have a multitude of animations, as well as a wide range of labels and information, with even more possible interaction capabilities planned.

Models viewed in Augmented Reality can be tracked to physical cards, allowing students to easily move and rotate them. The cards can also have extra information printed on them, as well as QR codes linking directly to the website.

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Creativity and Hands-on Learning for Masters Students UCD School of Information and Communication Studies For the MSc in Human-Computer Interaction program, our MakerSpace facilities and pedagogy have been seamlessly integrated into the curriculum to emphasise creativity and hands-on learning. 70 Students from diverse academic backgrounds utilise the Innovation Academy MakerSpace for their HCI Design Projects, partnering with 16 organisations across the medical, non-profit, and private sectors, including the Association of Nigerian Nurses in Ireland and Thrombosis Ireland.

Key challenges students were tasked with include using mental health data to personalise treatments, developing support platforms for African nurses and midwives, and increasing national awareness of Thrombosis. Students participated in both physical and digital prototyping, using 3D printing, vacuum forming and VR headsets for demonstrating their ideas to stakeholders.

The MakerSpace team also provides tailored workshops and in-class consultancy to the MSc class, guiding students through their projects and enhancing their overall learning experiences

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A 3D Makeover for a Roundhouse UCD School of Archaeology Using photogrammetry and gaussian splatting, we took initial scans of the medieval roundhouse on the UCD Campus. Using those as a foundation, we processed and refined them to create a final, high resolution 3D model. This was used to produce a 30 second introductory video showcasing the structure, and was also uploaded to the in-development Reality Explorer website, enabling students to view it in 3D and Augmented Reality, while also providing insights into its construction.

Archaeology Blender File

Archaeology Hut Online Model

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Archaeology Hut Render Frame

Helping UCD Students Safely Handle Magnets ... and Cows UCD School of Chemistry We were approached by the Centre for BioNano Interactions (CBNI) in the School of Chemistry at UCD with a design challenge. Some of their experiments involved the use of Neodymium supermagnets. These posed a safety risk to the people working in the lab as the magnets could exert forces of over 100kg, and the experiments needed to be carried out in a fume hood which has a steel frame, and required using some potentially harmful chemicals and glass labware.

At their request we designed and built a test stand which could hold the magnets securely and allow the experiment to be carried out safely. The stand was constructed from Aluminium, non-magnetic stainless steel and some carbon fibre-reinforced nylon parts which were 3d printed.

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Centre for Veterinary Education The Centre for Veterinary Education requested our help to create a device to improve the effectiveness of their Clinical Skills labs. Specifically, they wanted to allow students to learn some of the basics of delivering oral medication to cows in a lab setting. This would allow them to learn basic techniques before they are faced with a live animal.

The MakerSpace team designed a rig which replicated some of the major elements of a bovine head, including an accurate casting of a cow’s tongue, a moving jaw, and an articulated neck joint to simulate the movement of the head. The rig used Aluminium for the main structure, a repurposed bench vise for the neck joint and the mounting bracket, and cast silicone for the tongue. The jaws were made of a combination of 3d printed parts and laser cut wood.

Classes of up to 300 students now work with the model and clinical centres around the world have requested the 3d file so that they can create their own.

The head has been used in the last year for Large Animal handling classes. The model is used for practicing head restraint and administering medication to a cow via a dosing gun. So far over 170 students have practiced on this model and it is, so far going well. The students love using the model and say it helps them learn the correct way to handle a Cow head, and gives them the knowledge, skill and confidence before they need to handle the real animal.”

Tracey Murphy, Nursing Support Clinical Skills Model Maker UCD School of Veterinary Medicine 25

Understanding Bats and Black Holes with Some Help From the MakerSpace BatRegen Project Camera Rig The BatLab (also known as Molecular Evolution & Mammalian Phylogenetics) in the UCD School of Biology & Environmental Science is involved in a project which involves tracking how the membrane of a bat's wing heals when damaged by taking a series of photographs. Bats in general don’t appreciate how important this work could be and so don’t stay still for the pictures. Generally the researcher needs to use two hands to hold the wing fully extended, meaning it takes multiple people to photograph each bat.

We laser cut a device which involved a platform, an arm to hold the camera, and a foot pedal which could be used to take the picture. The platform included an engraved grid pattern which helps to verify the scale when analysing the photographs.

These parts were cut and engraved from MDF in our Laser Cutter.

Black Hole Orbit Models A Professor in the UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics requested a number of teaching aids. Their research involved calculating the orbit of various bodies around a blackhole. Previously, the output of their work was an equation, or a 2 dimensional image of the curve. Using the 3d printers we produced models which could be handled and examined by students.

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A Model of Eirsat1 for Ireland’s Largest Science Museum Eirsat1 Explorium Museum Exhibit 'EIRSAT-1' stands for 'Educational Irish Research Satellite'. A team of students in UCD, with support from academic and professional staff, designed, built, tested, and is operating, Ireland's first satellite, a 2U CubeSat, that was launched on December 1st 2023.

The Explorium, Ireland’s largest Science Museum, recently opened in Dublin.

With the launch of Eirsat1, they were eager to have an exhibition themed around this. The Makerspace team designed and constructed a model of Eirsat1 using a combination of 3dPrinting, Laser cutting and engraving, as well as a handmade aluminium frame. The build was approved by Professor David McKeown, the lead mechanical designer of the real satellite and will soon be on display in the Explorium.

Special acknowledgement goes to Cormac Deasy, former MakerSpace Engineer and UCD PhD candidate for this and other MakerSpace projects in 23/24.

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Using Virtual Reality as a Learning Tool Virtual Reality for Future Skills 45 students took our ‘Virtual Reality for Future Skills’ award winning elective this academic year. This unique elective aims to equip students with key transversal skills through an immersive VR experience where they find themselves COO of an e-bikes company for the day. Our elective continued its partnership with Accenture with a day at Accenture’s innovation hub and technical advice from Accenture VR experts on VR-designed solutions to a class assignment.

The Innovation Academy MakerSpace team published a paper titled "Mapping Virtual Reality's Role in Cultivating Transversal Skills in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis" at the EDUCON 2024 Special Session.

Our study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the interdisciplinary use of Virtual Reality for cultivating transversal skills in higher education.

It was really fun and different to have a chance to learn by doing and by collaborating with others, to learn in a different way.

I learned a lot of technical skills. We used software called Unreal Engine and VR software and we got to make a virtual reality experience Amy, 1st Year Engineering Virtual Reality for Future Skills

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Explorers: Engaging Student Talent From Across UCD At UCD Innovation Academy, we know how lucky we are to be surrounded by thousands of talented students. Every year, we work with some of these students who we call ‘Explorers’ across our MakerSpace, Labs, Greenacre Sustainability Hub and Programmes. Learn more about some of our Explorers below.

Name: Leo Humphreys Newman Degree: Computer Science Year: 3rd Year

Discovering the MakerSpace has been one of the most rewarding experiences I've had at UCD. It provides an environment rich with experimentation and novelty, allowing me to help produce unique and original creations to solve problems and push for innovative solutions.

Every project is different - and I learn something new from all of them!

Name: Erum Gour Degree: Msc Human Computer Interaction Year: 1 year masters

Working at Greenacre has been a thrilling experience, marking my first time in close proximity to nature. I've gained insights into the importance of communicating sustainability concepts, I got a chance to do that here through my design and illustration work at the Innovation Academy. I'm eager to contribute to more projects in the future.

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Name: Alan O’Donnell Degree: Mechanical Engineering with Business ME Year: 4th Year

Being a Makerspace explorer over the last two years has been a fantastic opportunity, working alongside various people on all kinds of projects, with everyday being different from the last. My particular interest involves developing various physical & software based teaching aids, along with assistive technologies.

Name: Alanah McQuade Degree: Sustainability with Environmental Science Year: 4th Year

Being an explorer at Greenacre has been a brilliant experience. We are given a lot of freedom to explore new ideas and collaborate on projects for Greenacre. Working here has taught me a lot about how sustainability projects are managed in real life and helped me to discover my career path after university.

Name: Mark Rea Degree: Biomedical engineering Year: 4th year

Being an explorer at Makerspace is both educational and inspirational right from the get-go. You get to work alongside like-minded people, and help each other to overcome challenges, possibly discovering new insights into your natural approach to projects. Time flies inside the MakerSpace, so make the most of every moment— because who knows what amazing thing you’ll create next?"

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Working with PhD and Masters Students

UCD Innovation Academy began in 2012 as a project to support PhD students learn the knowledge, skills and mindset to thrive after they completed their studies. Fourteen years later, we continue our work with PhD and Masters students and this year 145 students joined our classes. For the first year, we offered ‘Design Your Life’ to this student group - a class originating from Stanford University that uses design thinking to address the “wicked problem” of designing your life and career. In just its first year, 35 PhD and Masters students from a range of backgrounds including Engineering, Medicine and Food Science, among others, participated in the class.

My experience at the Innovation Academy was truly transformative ... [modules were] thoughtfully designed to provide real-life solutions through a variety of engaging tasks and activities. The tutors at the Innovation Academy are exceptional, using creative methods ... to stimulate learning and unlock students’ potential.

David Omoniyi, MSc Agriculture & Food Science

PHD & MASTERS MODULES 2023/24 Creative Thinking & Innovation

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Design Thinking

Communicating for Impact

Design Your Life

Entrepreneurship Application & Mindset

Supporting Student Entrepreneurship - Hult Prize In February, we sponsored the inaugural Hult Prize at UCD under the leadership of our board chair Raomal Perera, the first time an Irish university had entered this prestigious social entrepreneurship prize – the world’s largest student entrepreneurship competition.

The winner of the first round in Dublin in February was Bean Around who make sustainable skin care products using 100% repurposed coffee grounds collected from local coffee shops. Their products include sustainable exfoliating soaps and body scrubs, all handcrafted in Dun Laoghaire, Dublin. Bean Around was founded by Sadhbh Wood, a final year student of Business and Law, and her sister Aisling Wood.

UCD Innovation Academy, who produces their own products from spent coffee grounds, collaborated with Bean Around to explore our mutual use of coffee grounds, to connect the team to sustainability experts and to support their pitch preparation.

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From Dublin, Bean Around advanced through different stages until from 20,000 applications they reached the final 12 and joined an intensive Accelerator program funded by the Hult Prize. The top 6 teams from the Accelerator will advance to the final in London on September 6 2024.

This is a huge achievement and incredible for UCD to reach the final the first time it enters the prize. Well done to Sadhbh Wood, Aisling Wood, Jack Tiernan, Eibhe Kehoe, and Muhammad Memon.

Special thanks to Raomal Perera and UCD student Najwa Khader Kambala Thekkummuri for leading this initiative in UCD which we were proud to support.

Since winning the campus prize, Bean Around has made significant advancements. They are set to stock all Lidl stores across both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

They have entered into partnerships with CRH and X2E Oman to explore the use of coffee grounds in decarbonization initiatives.

Additionally, they are working with Zeus, a manufacturing and distribution group, to develop new sustainable packaging solutions.

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Bringing UCD into the Community In September, UCD Innovation Academy participated in Dublin Maker for a second year which saw a record 10,000 visitors. Hosted at Richmond Barracks, Dublin, the event aims to inspire current and future makers and inventors of all kinds. Dublin Maker is a family friendly showcase of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the maker movement.

Makers range from tech enthusiasts to crafters, educators, hobbyists, engineers, artists, science clubs, students and authors.

Our UCD booth engaged with thousands of visitors during the day including discussions around our interactive model of UCD Greenacre Sustainability Hub, a 3D printed prosthetic, and a range of innovative projects from our MakerSpace, and our cutting-edge work in printing, design, and augmented reality.

It was wonderful to showcase UCD at such an inspiring event, celebrating creativity, innovation, and the spirit of making.

William Davis, Technology Integration Manager,

UCD Innovation Academy 34

Contributing to an Exciting UCD Campus Life At UCD Innovation Academy, we know there’s more to university than classes and lectures. In 23/24 we collaborated with university societies and ran events to connect students, forge community and contribute to an exciting campus life at UCD.

Our events included Watch and Build parties; MakerSpace workshops; seasonal events and workshops at Halloween and Christmas; and lunch and learn sessions, all fuelled by a friendly welcome and of course, snacks.

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Postgraduates & Lifelong Learning

The Irish Government regards lifelong learning as a strategic national priority for economic prosperity and to attract and retain foreign direct investment. The OECD defines lifelong learning as the percentage of the workforce between the ages of 25 – 64 years who have participated in learning in the last 4 weeks. This category includes UCD many postgraduate learners. A recent OECD report identified lifelong learning as a national priority for Ireland and an area in need of improvement.

Grad Dip Design Thinking for Sustainability students on pitch day

This year, UCD Innovation Academy delivered programmes to 916 lifelong learners across a range of accredited and executive programmes.

In 2023/2024 we offered the following programmes funded by Springboard and HCI: Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma in Innovation for Sustainability Graduate Certificate in Digital Transformation, Technology, and Resilience Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Leadership Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability (HCI) Professional Cert/Diploma in Creativity and Innovation for Educators

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383 students completed these professional programmes this year. In addition we have continued to expand our non-accredited, executive engagements. This year we will have completed the following: 111 lifelong learners will have completed programmes with us provided to ESB, EXL & Education Training Board.

422+ lifelong learners will have completed one of a variety of workshops with us provided to e.g.

Solas, Central Bank, POBAL, DETE (and more) Students from the Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Leadership in the Shackleton Lounge. Students from the Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at a career skills day in LinkedIn.

Lifelong Learning in Numbers

Lifelong learners* programme breakdown

74 88

916 lifelong learners

136

533 45

21

19

Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Leadership Professional Diploma in Innovation for Sustainability Graduate Certificate in Digital Transformation, Technology, and Resilience Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability Professional Cert/Diploma in Creativity and Innovation for Education Professional Programmes

*Lifelong Learning: Adults of working age engaged in further learning in and outside the workplace. Increasing engagement in lifelong learning is a primary objective of Ireland’s National Skills Strategy 2025

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Executive Programmes

50

14

72

Workshops

Programmes

25

200

72 100

Solas EXL

Central Bank

ESB

Pobal

Education Training Board Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment

Springboard+ and HCI learner demographics: Employment status

Employed Unemployed Self-employed Formerly self-employed Returners Recent graduates Direct applicants 0

50

100

150

200

Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Leadership Professional Diploma in Innovation for Sustainability Graduate Certificate in Digital Transformation, Technology, and Resilience Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability - Funded through the Human Capital Initiative Pillar I

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210 students participated in our Professional Diploma programmes in 23/24, 50 coming from a huge range of organisations. This diverse learner group allows our facilitators to learn more about real challenges facing real organisations, and channel these insights into our programmes and classes.

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200 Comgharchumann Forbartha Mhúscraí University Hospital Galway Concern Worldwide Otter Products International Virgin Media Television Rye River Bewing Co. National Shared Services Office Western Digital Corporation Butlers Chocolates Irish Planning Institute Musgrave Retail Partners Utmost International Joe Clancy Solicitors Cascade Designs Mercer Consulting RTB Celtic Resource Management Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland Globoforce Morgan McKinley XenoTech Mercer Emerald Cultural Institute St Vincent’s University Hospital Dell Bank International NoFrixion Gheel Autism Services eco-MOVA PulseLearning PMD Solutions Decotek Automotive Limerick and Clare ETB RedFaireThermodial Ltd DataSolutions Self-employed facilitator RandStad Ireland Verve 100 McCarthy Baker & Co. Solicitors Tusla An Garda Síochana Cubic Telecom IADT Trulioo UCD Innovation Academy Carv Motion Metrics Be The Bridge Today KARE Fourcuil Consulting AMAX TCD Arvato Bertelsman Clancy Construction ESB Science Gallery International UL Capita Irish Council for International Students Stenhouse Supply Chain Dogpatch Labs Africa Centre Core Optimisation Walgreens Boots Alliance The Greedy Eagle Baymard Institute Sky New Relic GOAL Office of DPP Music & Health Ireland Zoetis SARL Dale Aviation France Vodafone Wild Thinkers Consultancy Dell Dochas Citrix SARL Dale Aviation France Office of Public Works UCC altMBA and Akimbo Workshop Coach SAP Dublin Simon Community EY Kilrush Credit Union Valid8me Cómhlámh BIGbin AXA Beacon Hospital RTÉ VentureWave Capital UCD Agile Certification Europe Vision Contracting Cairn Homes Yoga Flow Bord Bia Chevron College Laois County Council AIB Energywise Ireland Connacht Hospitality Group Indeed Mark Anthony International Granite Digital WBT Systems Tympany Medical Native Events Three Ireland HSE Tagoat Catering Sara Carroll Consulting MUFG Investor Services In Sync Youth and Family Services shareclub Tourism Ireland LinkedIn Hollister Incorporated Western Development Commission IBM Channel Mechanics Aviva Insurance Ireland Small Town Big Story Pico Independent Contractor U2 Management QS Consulting Safa Food Limited The Harvest Press EsnerAmper Ireland Empower Irish Defence Forces Mintel Calypso Technology Tata Consultancy Services Maynooth University Repak SuperValu NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Construction Industry Federation DDLETB Ireland Fuchs Consulting MUFG Investor Services Homefront Giftware & Interiors Bakery Zdoba, café Dom Testa Christian Aid Ireland UCD Smurfitt Elavon Financial Services Tipperary County Council Oracle EMEA Optel Group Europharma Concepts Sysdig Hines Ireland AutoConsultantc The Small Pot Uisce Éireann Energy Group DCU Young Social Innovators Freelance Consultant Sage Alcohol and Addiction Counselling Fitbit EMEA Wayfair Stores Febvre DePuy Synthes Bakeology Mastercard The Everyman Theatre Google Cairn Homes Cambridge Essentials InnaLabs Ltd Clare County Council Enterprise Ireland Humanist Association of Ireland 20FIFTY Partners Cognizant Technology Solutions Theratechnologies Europe Axis Ballymun DSPCA Green Bikes Bristol Myers Squib Tesco Ireland FREE NOW Swilly Group Stryker Medical Device Alvio Group Arup Ingka Investments Active Ireland Recreation The Merrion Hotel Kokoro Organics RemedyBio National University of Ireland Amgen Baboró International Arts Festival for Children Circle Voluntary Housing Association

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Accenture

The course helped build my confidence and improve how I work within teams, leading to a job promotion. In an interview with my future employer in the energy sector, the knowledge I gained from this course was well-received and definitely made a positive impact.

Michelle Whelan Prof Dip Innovation for Sustainability Alum

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MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability

23/24 marked the launch of our MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability. After three successful years running our Graduate Diploma of the same name, students had the option to choose a pathway to a Masters. 15 students participated in the Masters option this year, among them alumnae of the Graduate Diploma from previous years and the current class.

The 23/24 Graduate Diploma class enjoyed another varied and engaging programme, working on a diverse range of sustainability challenges with a variety of external organisations.

My experience on this course has been extremely life changing. I've shifted out of what was my comfort zone from a very structured 25 year corporate experience to one that was less structured. The engagement with external organisations allows us with a safety net to apply those design, thinking and sustainability learnings in the real world.

Oscar Carolan MSc in Design Thinking for Sustainability

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This course has really helped me to build that confidence and to look at opportunities that maybe I wouldn't have considered before, so really opened my mind. We also do a lot of reflective learning, so that's really helped as well in my personal life as well as in my professional life. A lot of collaboration, a lot of teamwork. The teamwork is one of my favorite parts of the course

Hannah Shepherd Carroll Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability

Hands down, it is the best course I have done to-date, [it] consistently challenged my thinking on the relevance of creativity and innovation in today's changing world. Better still, it lifted me out of the doom loop of job-seeking late last year, and was fully funded by Springboard+ Robert Conway-Kenny, PhD Head of Research, TechWorks Marine Prof Dip Creativity, Innovation and Leadership

I think if you're stuck in a rut and you feel like you're not sure what direction to go in, this course is amazing because you're going to learn frameworks, really practical tips that you can apply to your own business project. These are skills that are going to last you for the rest of your life Paul Murray Grad Cert in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship

It's the people, the opportunity to network, it's the space where you can come in and do things differently. I found that the role plays were really amazing because they were all real life scenarios. So there's a lot to bring back with me.

Maria Chandy Prof Dip Creativity, Innovation and Leadership

I loved the course. It's been more than I ever hoped it could be. It's a very different way of learning, much more project-based, the information sinks in better and it's more memorable. I think I'd be confident enough to go into a company and champion sustainability Damian Sherlock Prof Dip Innovation for Sustainability

To have this really engaging, flourishing group of people in this space with all kinds of different facilitators from different backgrounds and different skill sets and different areas of expertise, it's so dynamic Jessica Lagreid Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability

Celebrating the Successes of our Alumni

Our alumni community numbers tens of thousands including former undergraduate students and learners in our post graduate and executive programmes. Many of these alumni have gone on to transform themselves, their careers, communities and those around them, in ways big and small. Here are just a few highlights from 23/24.

Mark Bolger Mark Bolger, an alumnus of Graduate Diploma in Design Thinking for Sustainability (2020/21) rowed across the Atlantic with three team mates as part of The World’s Toughest Row. Mark and the team used the row to collectively advocate for mental health and also to promote citizen science by collecting ocean data. This will be used to provide ground-truth validation for a student-run organisation that has developed an AI-powered ocean monitoring tool for local coastal communities.

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Meg Brennan Meg Brennan, UCD alumnus and former UCD Innovation Academy Innovation Fellow, Meg took innovation modules with the Innovation Academy while a student at UCD. Meg’s career continues to go from strength to strength and 23/24 was no exception.

This year, Meg was selected from over 500 applicants to join the Founders Programme at Dog Patch Labs, working to build a startup called PolliKnow.

Polliknow harnesses the power of emerging technology to protect and promote biodiversity. Polliknow devices make monitoring wild pollinators easy and allows a transparent view on their populations, health, behaviour, and the collection of critical data for increasing biodiversity.

Meg also participated in the All Island Female Entrepreneurs Pitching Competition and was crowned the winner.

Congratulations Meg on a great year and wishing you continued success in your entrepreneurial journey.

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Liz Gleeson Liz Gleeson, alumnus of our Graduate Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, set up Shapes of Grief out of her final project on our programme. This Award-Winning Training Programme addresses the Grief-Training needs of Healthcare Professionals, Educators, HR Managers and anyone who supports people who are grieving.

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and the huge loss of life and displacement of people that followed, Liz began an immense, pro bono project to translate her Grief Counselling programme into Ukrainian.

This incredible project was made possible entirely through the work of volunteers who translated and dubbed the materials with the help of partners.

Thousands of Ukrainians all around the world have accessed the materials - entirely free of charge - on Shapes of Grief since they launched.

In April, we were delighted to host the launch of Shapes of Grief in Ukrainian with representatives from the Ukrainian Embassy Ireland, Barnardos Ireland, Ukrainian Crisis Centre Ireland, the Irish Red Cross, the Ukrainian community in Ireland and more.

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Sustainability at UCD Innovation Academy Our sustainability offering gathered momentum in 2023 / 2024, matched by a significant increase in demand from learners to engage in this crucial topic.

UCD Greenacre Sustainability Hub launched inside UCD with a ‘Sustainability Design Day’ in November 2023. UCD Greenacre will deliver immersive, hands-on sustainability experiences accessible to the UCD community and our partners in enterprise and the public sector. 100 attendees from across the public sector, enterprise, higher education and the community participated in the design day.

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UCD Greenacre Sustainability Hub Model

100 participants from enterprise, higher education and the community joined us for the ‘Sustainability Design Day’

In January, the Irish Times listed Avadhoot Potdar, UCD Innovation Academy Sustainability Solutions Manager in the 50 People to Watch in 2024.

Avadhoot Potdar is leading the development of UCD’s Greenacre Sustainability Hub an experiential learning hub, where UCD students, enterprises and public can come together and trial sustainable pilot projects.

In July, we acquired an old double-decker bus to turn into a Precious Plastic workshop and educational space. This project will transform a piece of history into a sustainability exemplar, providing a dynamic environment for recycling plastic waste and educating the community about impact of plastic.

We also launched a new undergrad module, Design a Sustainable Future, in the spring semester. This hands-on course involved activities like mushroom farming, plastic recycling with Precious Plastics, and biomimicry projects.

Students tackled real sustainability challenges on campus and propose innovative solutions.

Green workshops were a big part of our year too. Catherine Cleary from Pocket Forests led, focusing on innovative composting methods and establishing a worm library at Greenacre.

During UCD Climate Week in the March 24, we hosted a Precious Plastic workshop where research groups identified and repurposed plastic waste from UCD labs, promoting circular use on campus. We will be continuing to work with research labs to reduce their plastic footprint.

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Promoting the Circular Economy Through the Repair Cafe During Green Week in March ‘24 we collaborated again with Tog HackerSpace to host a Repair Cafe at UCD. Repair Cafes are a global movement where people can bring items such as clothes, furniture, crockery or toys to be fixed and mended.

We throw away vast amounts of stuff. Even things with almost nothing wrong, and which could get a new lease on life after a simple repair.

The Cafe was staffed by volunteers with a variety of skillsets. Students brought an item, sat with a volunteer and learned how they are mending it so that next time they could do it themselves. The cafes aim to reduce waste and support the circular economy. During Green Week we also hosted a hands-on workshop with Precious Plastics, where we explored innovative ways to recycle and repurpose plastic waste.

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A Creative Approach Grounded in Academic Rigour UCD Innovation Academy’s unique pedagogical approach is underpinned by academic rigour and the latest neuroscience in learning.

At the start of 2024, an academic article was published in the journal ‘Sustainability’ by Innovation Academy team members Thomas Macagno, Anh Nguyen-Quoc and Suzi Jarvis.

Nurturing Sustainability Changemakers through Transformative Learning Using Design Thinking: Evidence from an Exploratory Qualitative Study Based on our Professional Diploma of Innovation for Sustainability, this study presents how Design Thinking can be combined with Transformative Learning in Sustainability Education while also demonstrating that the pedagogy effectively fostered a sustainability mindset, literacy, and creative confidence—critical traits for developing changemakers.

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An effort to integrate technology and pedagogical innovations has resulted in the first VR-based experiential learning module to foster interdisciplinary undergraduate students - the first of its kind in Ireland. We published a working paper titled "Mapping Virtual Reality's Role in Cultivating Transversal Skills in Higher Education: A Bibliometric Analysis" at a leading Edutech Conference in May 2024.

We also submitted our work “Learning in Metaverse: Utilising Immersive Virtual Reality for Experiential Learning to Cultivate Entrepreneurial Competencies for Multidisciplinary Students in Higher Education.” to the journal Immersive Learning Environment.

In recognition of our efforts, the undergraduate module received an ‘honorable mention’ at the 2024 European Public Sector Awards. Previously, in 2023, this elective also won the 'Innovation in Education' award from the University Industry Innovation Network.

In August, Alan Morgan who leads our ‘Educators’ programme and a PhD candidate at Trinity St. David’s was shortlisted for ‘Entrepreneurial Leader of the Year Award’ at the Tripe E Awards, recognising Entrepreneurship and Engagement excellence in Higher Education.

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Final Academic Year of the Human Capital Initiative 23/24 was the last full academic year of our Irish government funded Human Capital Initiative Pillar III project Convene. Convene is a partnership between UCD Innovation Academy and TU Dublin made possible through HCI III, a pioneering 88future government initiative to increase capacity in higher education to meet skills needs.

To date UCD Innovation Academy has had many notable achievements through Convene: Expanding the team with 10 new positions Creating new roles within higher education, designed to advance a more innovative approach to education planning and delivery for future skills needs

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Design and launch of: Award-winning new undergraduate electives in priority skills areas including innovation, technology, sustainability and more Innovative ‘Living Labs’ and their integration into education delivery across the university New accredited professional programmes including the hugely popular Professional Diploma in Innovation for Sustainability New bespoke professional programmes in innovation and AI A sustainability hub on campus at UCD, a unique outdoor space in UCD’s woodland campus for experiential learning We look forward to growing our successes in the year ahead made possible through the Human Capital Initiative.

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Our Continued Work in Transforming Education

Growing our International Collaboration in Vietnam and Laos In 2023 / 24 we expanded our six year collaboration with Vietnam National University to neighbouring Laos. With nearly 60% of the population below 25 years old, Laos has one of the youngest populations in Southeast Asia.

In February 2024, a UCD Innovation Academy team travelled to Laos and Vietnam, where they facilitated programmes for educators and students, together with our Vietnamese colleagues from the VIBE programme based out of the Vietnam National University. At the National University of Laos (NUOL) in Vientiane, the team conducted a two day training focused on ‘Preparing the 21st Century Graduate: A Programme for Future-Focused University Faculty’.

At the University of Economics in Da Nang, Vietnam, a similar programme was led by the VIBErs with the assistance of the Innovation Academy. The team also engaged with Conor Finn, Deputy Head of Mission at the Irish Embassy, and Prof Phạm Bảo Sơn, the VicePresident of the Vietnam National University (VNU) during their visit.

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Our relationship with Vietnam National University has stood the test of time since it was established six years ago. VNU has two national universities, one in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City. VIBERs from VNU estimate that nearly 8000 faculty members and over 20,000 students have benefited from the impact of our collaborative project so far.

Our collaboration is now entering a new stage where we can scale the change we have accomplished in VNU. This includes a deeper engagement with the local changemakers across the Vietnamese education system and expanding the circle of impact to the South-East Asian region.

In Laos, we witnessed an urgent need for transformative learning, with a strong emphasis on innovation and sustainability. This demand can only be met by the provision of sustained hands-on training for local educators. The authorities of the National University of Laos welcomed the partnership between UCD Innovation Academy, VNU and NUOL, expressing hope that it can be further expanded in the years to come.

As the ultimate beneficiaries of this initiative, the Laotian students keep reminding us – as they did during our visit – of their remarkable creative potential, which can be used for the betterment of their society and the planet, but which first needs to be ignited and cultivated.

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The collaboration between UCD, Irish Aid and Vietnam is creating a powerful impact on our education, community and country as well. Its focus is on capacity building. And by building the capacity of the educators, then we can cascade and scale up to thousands of young people.

Dr Nguyen Thu Le Hang Head of Liberal Education Division VNU University of Languages and International Studies

I'm learning so much from my colleagues around community and around that persistence, a vision that I think the two countries working together, we can achieve so much together in that vision, and the next generation will benefit from all the work that we're doing now and that I think such a promising vision for the future.

Prof Suzi Jarvis, Founding Director UCD Innovation Academy

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We have two national universities, one in Hanoi and one in Ho Chi Minh City. I estimate that nearly 8,000 faculty members and over 20,000 students have benefited from the project so far.

Mrs. Vu Thi Hong Viet, Senior Official at VNU Cooperation & Development Department

We are a developing country, and we are growing very fast. As we reach out to the global economy, there is a growing need to equip our students and our general workforce with the skills needed so they can not only contribute to the national economy but also become global citizens and contribute to the larger landscape of the global economy.

Mr. Vu Minh PhD Student at UCD Innovation Academy & Former Official at VNU Cooperation and Development Department

We've been working with our colleagues at Vietnam National University to develop skills around 21stcentury learning. This involves moving away from lectures and content delivery to more experiential learning for students, helping prepare them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

Prof Suzi Jarvis, Founding Director, UCD Innovation Academy

Working with Educators in India 50% of India’s 1.5 billion population is below the age of 25 making it the largest youth population in the world. In 22/23 India was the first country to formalise the inclusion of Design Thinking and innovation classes into secondary schools.

The incorporation of Design Thinking into the secondary school curriculum offers a transformative pathway to shaping, from an early age, how Indian students learn and approach problem-solving. It presents an opportunity to nurture essential skills indispensable in the 21st century. It also represents laudable foresight by Indian policy makers on the importance of innovation skills now, and in the future.

In April 2024, we joined colleagues in UCD Global to celebrate ten years of UCD in India. As part of our mission, we delivered a two day design thinking workshop to Educators from Delhi schools. Hosted at the Shiv Nader School, the workshop equipped educators with some of the skills needed to deliver and sustain this new curriculum.

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Supporting Roma Education for the 21st Century Europe’s Roma population, estimated at 12 million people, remain the most marginalised ethnic group across the continent in all aspects of life, from education to housing and more. The Roma Education Fund (REF), founded by George Soros’ philanthropy the Open Society Foundations, is today the largest non governmental funder and advocate for Roma education in Europe.

In an ageing Europe REF argues, Roma, the largest and youngest ethnic minority, represent enormous economic potential if governments will provide the right education and upskilling to Roma learners of all ages.

In June, we welcomed six education leaders from the Roma Education Fund to our Professional Certificate in Creativity, Innovation and Education.

REF participants joined education changemakers from Ireland and beyond to learn about 21st century education transformation and how to incorporate this into their own work, designing and delivering education programmes to Roma learners in Central and Eastern Europe.

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My experience during this genuinely exciting course was so pleasantly touched by a sincere feeling of welcome and companionship, together with the satisfaction of being an important part of the evolution of education and my future path.

Elena Iordanescu, Innovation Manager Roma Education Fund UCD Innovation Academy Festival of Education, June 14th 2024.

A full-day webinar event of networking, learning, and celebrating all things innovative in education from a panel of experts, including Tomás Ó Ruairc, Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Education

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Creating a New Partnership with Dutch Schools In 23/24, we formed a new partnership with OMO, a Dutch school group that includes 61,000 students taught at 68 OMO-affiliated schools with over 6,800 employees.

We hosted a delegation from OMO and other Dutch schools in September ‘23, eager to learn more about UCD’s approach to experiential learning.

Our collaboration grew from there and in the next academic year we will run a dedicated intake of our Professional Certificate in Creativity and Innovation for Education for 36 educators from OMO. The programme will be delivered in a blended format, both online and in-person in the Netherlands and Dublin.

In addition we will host a group of OMO education leaders in Dublin in October for a bespoke programme, designed to equip education leaders with the knowledge, skills and mindset to lead education transformation.

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Working with UCD Educators We continued our collaboration with UCD Educators in 23/24. We welcomed UCD participants from a variety of schools to our Professional Certificate in Creativity and Innovation for Education including Medicine; Civil Engineering; Agriculture and Food Science; Biomolecular and Biomedical Science; Veterinary Medicine; Business and the Irish Institute for Chinese Studies.

I completed the Certificate in Education in June and have spent my time since telling all of my friends in education how amazing it is. Rosie and Alan created this wonderful space where we could freely question what we know about being educators. I came away feeling reinvigorated about my education work and excited about putting what I learned into practice.

Ciara Spillane, Research Careers Manager, UCD

We also online delivered workshops to educators within UCD College of Business Global Campus.

A really dynamic and tailored workshop on design thinking was hugely helpful to our teaching colleagues to support cutting edge and innovative student learning in Singapore.

The process and event was really energising. UCD Business, Global Campus were delighted to collaborate and leverage the expertise of the UCD Innovation Academy.

Dr. Orna O’Brien, Director, UCD College of Business, Global Campus 68

Growing our Collaboration with UCD Beijing-Dublin International College UCD Innovation Academy travelled to China for the fourth year of our collaboration with UCD Joint College BDIC in Beijing. UCD Innovation Academy facilitators delivered our Creativity and Design Thinking module to third and fourth year Engineering students.

During these intensive two week modules, over 100 students embraced the innovator's mindset, learning collaboration techniques and the Design Thinking process. One class challenge was to create a unique Airbnb experience in Beijing for different tourist types, interviewing visitors from China and globally to understand real user needs. Students used role-play and prototyping, integrating AI, augmented reality, gamification, biometrics, innovative transport solutions, and environmental design to tailor experiences.

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Partnering with IBM Beijing allowed students to apply Design Thinking to tackle pressing business challenges. From ensuring fair and safe AI usage within IBM to enhancing remote working experiences for employees and expanding STEM volunteer programs in rural Chinese towns, the scope was broad and impactful.

The module concluded in a visit to IBM's Beijing office, where students presented their solutions to the IBM team receiving positive feedback all round.

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Delivering Innovation with Enterprise New Partnership with EXL in Innovation for AI In October, UCD Innovation Academy and CeADAR, Ireland’s national centre for Artificial Intelligence, launched a new enterprise collaboration with EXL. EXL is a global data analytics and digital operations and solutions company which expanded its operations to Dublin in 2023. At the launch of EXL’s new base in Dublin with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, EXL announced 200 new jobs would be created over the next three years as it sets up a headquarters for international business in Dublin.

Ireland is well-placed to be a hub of innovation in this space, and EXL’s plans to partner with local research institutions will be an important contribution to developing the next generation of talent Edward McDonnell, CEO of CeADAR, Suzi Jarvis, Founding Director UCD Innovation Academy, Rowan McGrath, Senior Vice President International, EXL, Eleanor Kelly, Head of Strategy UCD Innovation Academy, Sanjay Dutt, Senior Vice President, EXL, and Rohit Kapoor Vice Chairman and CEO, EXL

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An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar

UCD’s collaboration with EXL centres on the UCD | EXL Innovation and AI Lab. The first intake of this new programme started in November, combining UCD Innovation Academy’s unique innovation pedagogy that equips learners with the mindset, tools and skills for transformation; and CeADAR’s extensive expertise in AI and data analytics powered by best in class AI and data scientists.

The programme is the first of its kind in Ireland to combine AI domain expertise with a design led methodology.

Our collaboration with UCD will help us leverage their extensive innovation ecosystem and equip our leaders to drive real business value for our customers ... This will help accelerate a culture of innovation, which is essential in driving our data-led transformation value proposition for our clients Sanjay Dutt, Senior Vice President of Human Resources EXL 72

Baljinder Singh, EXL Chief Information Officer, visits UCD during the first intake of the UCD | EXL Innovation and AI programme.

EXL CEO Rohit Kapoor visits UCD in October 2023 on the launch of EXL in Ireland with An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

UCD Innovation Academy host Global Leaders from EXL for a Four Day Bootcamp as part of the UCD | EXL Innovation for AI Programme, February 2024

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New Partnership with the Department of Enterprise Trade and Employment In February 2024, UCD Innovation Academy won a competitive tender to provide innovation programmes to the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

The collaboration includes a bespoke programme of innovation workshops designed to offer fresh approaches to the increasingly challenging and complex problems DETE engages with. 25 learning sessions with DETE staff members have so far been scheduled.

In July we participated in DETE’s 600-person strong "all hands" meeting at Dublin Castle. Minister Peter Burke opened the event emphasizing innovation as a major priority for DETE. We hosted a stall at the event showcasing UCD’s innovation capabilities including our MARSCROP Project, a way to demonstrate the value of prototyping.

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This partnership builds on our efforts over the last number of years to deepen our innovation culture…

The team in UCD Innovation Academy brings a wealth of experience, expertise and vision in this area, and has offered a range of services which teams can choose from.

Declan Hughes Secretary General, Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

At UCD Innovation Academy we passionately believe in the transformative potential of innovation within the Irish Civil and Public Service.

Innovation is now formally part of building future readiness in the Civil and Public Service workforce and we are proud to partner with DETE to deliver real-time results and long term impact.

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Prof Suzi Jarvis, Founding Director, UCD Innovation Academy

From Strength to Strength with ESB 2024 is our eighth year partnering with ESB in their flagship innovation programme. The programme has designed and delivered innovations on some of the most urgent issues we face today, benefiting Irish society and our economy as a result.

Participants leave with tangible innovations to take forward and just as importantly, an innovation mindset backed up by innovation skills and tools, to apply now and in the future.

After six months of hard work, teams took to the stage on pitch day in June to showcase their solutions to real business challenges - topics ranged from maintenance of floating Offshore Platforms, opportunities around wildlife and ecology, knowledge management, to the future of commercial electric vehicles and home heating.

Since 2017, the Innovation Academy@ESB has brought together 20 to 25 ESB staff annually, dividing them into multidisciplinary teams to tackle live business challenges. Working with UCD Innovation Academy, we encourage this experiential learning environment with the participants and sponsors and we invite them to participate in a creative framework that empowers people and drives better results.

Mark Fowler ESB Innovation Capability Manager 76

An increase in confidence levels across different entrepreneurial competencies before and after the ESB Innovation Academy programme.

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Communicating clearly and persuasively your ideas with others Collaborating in multi-disciplinary teams Generating innovative and valuable ideas from customers insights Recognizing opportunities for value-creation from customers insights Practicing personal reflection for continuous self improvement 0%

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Quickly experimenting with new ideas based on customers'/users' experience

Enhancing the overall innovation culture and capability in the business

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Learning from setbacks and trying again

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Innovation Academy@ESB class of 2024, participants take part in a six month programme culminating in pitches at ESB HQ Dublin

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In addition to Innovation Academy@ESB, a mainstay of ESB’s innovation programming, we also delivered in 23/24 a range of short workshops to everyone from new graduate recruits to ESB senior leadership. For a second year, we delivered ESB Ignition, a two day design sprint with 45 newly recruited graduates from across ESB.

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Innovation Workshops with Enterprise and NGOs We deliver short innovation workshops as well as our longer programmes and in 23/24 we worked with a variety of organisations. Our sessions included intense design thinking sprints hosted at UCD, allowing organisations to step away from the day to day and be reenergised on UCD’s beautiful campus, as well as hosting workshops offsite with companies, NGOs and others.

Among those organisations were Solas, the state agency overseeing further education and training; Pobal, an organisation supporting social inclusion; the law firm William Fry; WorkHuman, a company providing cloud-based, human capital management software solutions; the Irish Central Bank responsible for central banking and financial regulation in Ireland; and Airfield Estate, a sustainable farm and visitor attraction in Dublin.

The facilitation of the workshop was impressive, and I appreciated the speed at which we moved from identifying problems to finding solutions. The team atmosphere during the workshop was fantastic and made the experience all the more enjoyable.

John, Operations WorkHuman

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VR Workshop with William Fry LLP Forty year three trainees at William Fry law firm trialed the ‘Hub Room’ of UCD Innovation Academy’s VR for Future Skills module.

The emphasis on teamwork not only strengthened our collaboration but also helped me understand how using structure and a different approach can drive results through innovative solutions.

Roberto, Customer Experience WorkHuman

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International Advisory Board Convenes in UCD In April, we welcomed our International Advisory Board to UCD for our first inperson meeting since before the pandemic.

Our International Advisory Board includes: Raomal Perera (Chair), Entrepreneur and Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship at INSEAD, Colm Lyon, Founder and CEO of Fire Financial Services Founder and former CEO of Realex Payments, Dr. Syahira Hamidon, Head of the Entrepreneurship Unit, Ministry of Education, Malaysia and Prof Richard Templer, Professor Emeritus at the Grantham Institute, Imperial College London.

The Board met with the UCD Innovation Academy team, offered strategic counsel on our current and future work, and met with UCD Deputy President and Registrar Prof Colin Scott.

Looking Ahead As we look forward to the future, we remain committed to innovation, collaboration, and creating transformative learning experiences for all. Thank you to our students, UCD colleagues, enterprise partners, university collaborators, and supporters for being a vital part of our journey. Here’s to another year of growth and impact in the 2024/25 academic year.

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INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE? GET IN TOUCH, ELEANOR.KELLY@UCD.IE PUBLISHED AUGUST 2024