THE Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, officially opened a major new wing of the Stokes Engineering and Research Building at Dublin City University last week.
Costing over €11 million, the expansion will provide lecturing facilities for up to 1,400 students.
The project is part of the University’s Campus Capital Development Plan (2016-2020) and was funded by the European Investment Bank.
The new unit spans four storeys and includes two large lecture theatres, six lecture rooms, 22 office space units and eight open plan research and office units.
DCU is currently ranked in the top 300 universities globally for Engineering and Technology and is among the world’s leading institutions for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths).
Up to 92 per cent of graduates from the Faculties of Engineering & Computing and Science & Health are in employment or further study six months after graduation.
The Stokes Engineering and Research Building is home to the School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering which hosts or participates in a number of large scale research centres, as well as the School of Electronic Engineering at DCU.
It was named in honour of Sir George Gabriel Stokes, the Sligo-born polymath renowned for many advances in science.
Speaking at the launch event last week, Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, said: "The opening of the new wing of the Stokes Engineering and Research Building at Dublin City University is a demonstration of the university's strong commitment to creating a vibrant and dynamic environment for research and innovation to thrive and flourish.
“The opening of the facility is also crucially important to cater for an expanding student population at DCU, one of the country's fastest growing universities.
“It is also important to note that the level of development underway at DCU reflects the scale and ambition of DCU who play a pivotal role, nationally and internationally in STEM education and research."
President of Dublin City University, Prof Brian MacCraith, added: “We are delighted to have completed this considerable expansion of the Stokes Engineering and Research Building, which is one of many important elements in our Campus Capital Development Plan.
“This new facility will not only advance our mission of excellence in education, research and innovation, but will also enhance the DCU student experience and provide capacity for up to 1,400 students at DCU.
“DCU is the fastest-growing university in Ireland and this opening is a reflection of our ongoing commitment to enhancing and developing an environment which will shape the problem-solvers and critical thinkers of the future.”