Papers of James Meenan – Move of UCD to Belfield

28 U.C.D. and the Future

courses can be run without such duplication. Also they are reported as stating that the Vocational Education Committee had in Kevin Street and Bolton Bolton Street a building problem which would cost 'up to £1,000,000 in the long run.'* They were interested in the Commission's Report from the point of view of knowing what accommodation would be provided by the University, to enable them to form their plans.

The problem involved is not peculiar to our circumstances. It has arisen years ago in the more advanced countries. In many countries it has been solved by integrating the technological courses in the institutes with their counterparts in the universities. We have in mind the kind of collaboration or integration that exists in various forms at Belfast, Cardiff, Glasgow, Manchester and elsewhere. Some of these examples we outline below.

The Belfast College of Technology. Part of the teaching for the degree in Engineering of Queen's University is done at the College of Technology by staff recognised by the University. The whole of the teaching for university degrees in Chemical Technology, Pharmaceutics, Textile Industries and Naval Architecture is done there by recognised teachers.

The College of Technology and Commerce, Cardiff. Through its affiliation to the University of Wales this College offers courses leading to the degrees of B.Arch. and B.Pharm.

The Royal Technical College, Glasgow. In 1913 this College became affiliated to the University of Glasgow and in 1919 it was recognised as a University College and became eligible for grants from the University Grants Committee. The College has an independent Board of Governors and comes directly under the Scottish Education Department. Through its affiliation with the University of Glasgow the College offers courses of study leading to the Degree of B.Sc. in a variety of subjects. It also offers courses leading to its own Associateship (A.R.T.C.).

The Manchester College of Science and Technology. The Faculty of Technology of the University of Manchester was instituted within the above College in 1905. The Principal of the College is Dean of the University Faculty and heads of departments are professors of the University. The College offers courses which lead either to the University Degrees of Bachelor or Master of Technical Science or to its own Associateship (A.M.C.T.). The M.Sc. Tech. and the Ph.D. and D.Sc. degrees of the University may be conferred on those who have pursued research in the College.

In passing it is well to remember that until 1926 the Royal College of Science for Ireland, an independent non-university institution, offered courses

* In point of fact we understand that the cost of the Bolton Street project is approx. £350,000 and that the sum required for Kevin Street alone will not be less than £1,000,000. These are building costs and do not include furniture or equipment. We understand that the extra equipment for Engineering and Architecture at Bolton Street will cost over two hundred thousand pounds. For Kevin Street it will cost considerably more.

Problems in the Proposed Move 29

that led to its own Associateship (A.R.C.Sc.I.). It co-operated with the University by permitting U.C.D. students to take their workshop courses in Merrion Street. A previous Irish Government, rather than finance the duplication of expensive faculties, compelled its amalgamation with the University. It was handed over to U.C.D. by the University Education (Agriculture and Dairy Science) Act, 1926. University College, Dublin, which has already absorbed the College of Science, might well consider at least co-operation with the newer expanding institutes of technology.

Elsewhere, when technological institutes have grown up in a university city, the time came when they had developed in status and in standards to the stage of providing courses to full professional level. At that point co-ordination with, and even integration into, the technological faculties of the university followed as a natural course. We believe that the same course should be followed in Dublin and indeed that eventually it will follow, but we are concerned that meanwhile U.C.D. may have been transferred to Stillorgan Road instead of remaining on its present sites which are more conveniently situated for cooperation with the institutes.

We urge that serious consideration be given to the above point of view. Apart from the economic advantages of such collaboration we believe that in this way the best interests of higher technological education would be served.

Further, we believe that in view of the continued growth of heavy industry in Cork (steel, shipbuilding, oil refining) a very good case can be made for siting an advanced technological faculty or college in that city and that the establishment of a multiplicity of such faculties in Dublin will militate against adequate provision being made for the needs of the south.

As an example of the position that is arising because of the lack of cooperation between the institutes and the universities, we deal below in some detail with the provision of professional training in Architecture.

The Dublin Schools of Architecture

The Commission's Report accepts the College authorities' estimate of space required for the new school of Architecture: 22,000 sq. ft. nett or 29,730 sq. ft. gross to be built at a cost of approximately £250,000. It is to be noted that this estimate was prepared in 1952 when the numbers in the school were at an abnormal maximum, and the requirements would seem to be excessive for what might be taken to be the average number of students. The records of recent years show a decline in numbers from 150 to 110 (a 27% decrease). The reason for this decline is undoubtedly a 'settling down' of the profession to 'normal' conditions following the post-war building boom when the profession offered very attractive prospects.

If we take the average student number at 110, then the estimate of approx. £250,000 would provide for the ecertion of a first-class school with all facilities. Such a provision is very desirable and would we fully justified were it not for the fact that a second school of Architecture with first-class standards of accommodation is already nearing completion in Dublin. We refer to the school of Architecture at the College of Technology, Bolton Street. When complete (September 1960) this school will have the great advantage of being associated