Maynooth unveils academic partnership with China's Fuzhou University

An academic partnership with Fuzhou University will see 1,200 Chinese students graduate with computer science and electronic engineering degrees from the Co Kildare university.

But new computer science qualifications will not be available exclusively to overseas students.

Maynooth University this week announced plans for a science degree in maths and computer science with education that will be open for direct entry for Leaving Certificate students from next year. The four-year programme will include preparation for classroom environments and graduates will be guaranteed places on a one-year postgraduate degree making them eligible to teach higher-level maths and computer science to Leaving Certificate students, the first of them to graduate in 2024.

“This new degree is part of our commitment to alleviate the significant national shortage of STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths] teachers,” said Maynooth University president Professor Philip Nolan.

It will provide schools with the necessary staff to make computer science studies a reality for all post-primary students in Ireland.

Computer science is being taught for the first time on a pilot basis at 40 schools since last month, and it will be first examined in the Leaving Certificate in 2020.

Enterprise Ireland is assisting with the initiative that sees Maynooth University currently recruiting a team of 13 lecturers and administrative staff to support the establishment of the Maynooth International College of Engineering, Fuzhou University. When fully up and running at the university in China’s south-eastern Fujian province, the college is expected to graduate 300 students a year.

However, most elements of Maynooth University’s 2018-2022 strategic plan are focused on growing student numbers, research delivery and staffing at home. A key ambition is to see postgraduate enrolments increased by more than 60%, part of a priority focus on research and postgraduate studies.

The plan includes an aim to increase the number of taught masters’ degree students from 1,000 to 1,600, and to grow the community of students working towards PhDs to 600. The overall student population at Maynooth University has already increased by more than 60% to 12,500 since 2008, and that is envisaged to rise to between 14,000 and 15,000.

A €300m capital development programme is also planned, including work on an academic centre due to start early next year. On-campus accommodation for an extra 1,000 students are also planned, along with a new student centre, innovation centre, and sports and recreation facilities.