When the UCD O’Connor Centre for Learning opened its doors on 5 March, it didn’t do so quietly. The building’s very first full event was the culmination of a two-day hackathon, buzzing with students, ideas, and prototypes.

The UCD O’Connor Centre for Learning started as it means to continue: with a room full of energised students furiously sketching, building, collaborating, and pitching their visions for the university of the future.

Organised by the UCD Innovation Academy in partnership with UCD Careers Network, UCD School of Architecture, and UCD Foundation, the two-day hackathon challenged students from across all disciplines to answer one ambitious question: “How Might We Design the University of the Future?”

It was the kind of brief that makes you sit up straighter. It was a brief also inspired by Eddie O’Connor, the entrepreneur and innovator after whom the building is named. Eddie’s quote, “You’ve got to get out of your comfort zone and experiment,” was unveiled on a plaque in the new building and also inspired our students to go beyond their imaginations. 

 You’ve got to get out of your comfort zone and experiment. – Eddie O’Connor

Creative Hackathon Day One: Challenge and Prototyping 

It all kicked off on Wednesday, the 4th of March in the Shackleton Lounge at the UCD Innovation Academy. Teams were formed — some friends, some strangers, all potential future-shapers — and the challenge was unleashed. 

Teams were asked, “How Might We Design The University of the Future,” and the students were also given several themes:

  • Protect and Restore Nature
  • Future of Learning 
  • Energy Systems
  • Transport Systems
  • Belongingness and Well-Being 

Philip Crowe from the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, also gave several pointers to students regarding designing and using their imagination when coming up with their vision of the university of the future.

“You might imagine something very positive or utopian or something very negative or dystopian… We are living in unprecedented times and we really do need this thing we have called imagination to think our way out of that,” he advised.

The Innovation Academy’s MakerSpace also opened its doors for the remainder of the afternoon for students who wanted to build more prototype materials or use any of its facilities, including the 3D printers, laser cutter, etc.

 

Creative Hackathon Day Two: Pitching and Presentation 

On Thursday, 5th of March, the action moved to the top floor of the brand-new UCD O’Connor Centre for Learning. Named in honour of Irish entrepreneur and renewable energy pioneer Eddie O’Connor, the Centre represents a bold new chapter for learning and collaboration at UCD. 

Teams spent the morning finalising and presenting their prototypes in a vibrant showcase format. VIP guests dropped in throughout the morning to engage directly with students and hear about their projects. The building was buzzing with conversations between the next generation of thinkers and the people shaping UCD’s future.

Nick, a bachelors student in Computer Science with Data Science, said that the two-day hackathon was a great experience, with a lot of planning and hard work put in. 

“It was great seeing all the materials made beforehand and finally putting all of them together,” Nick said.

 

UCD O’Connor Centre Official Launch and the Prize Ceremony

The O’Connor Centre for Learning was officially launched by UCD President Orla Feely, Minister for Further and Higher Education James Lawless T.D., the O’Connor Family, and other prestigious guests from the UCD community. It was a momentous occasion but the student hackathon happening upstairs gave the whole event a dynamic and vibrant quality. 

The awarding ceremony brought the two days together in style. Prizes and trophies were awarded by Lesley O’Connor, founder and entrepreneur, Colin Scott, Registrar and Deputy President, and UCD President Orla Feely. It was a moment that underscored just how seriously UCD takes student-led innovation.

Colin said that he and the Minister’s expectations were exceeded by the students’ outputs.

 “My mind was blown. It far exceeds what I imagine we could do in this building where we come together for a short period of twenty-four hours with the variety (of solutions), the creativity, and the collaboration,” he said. “You have done the university proud and more importantly, we hope you have learned valuable things and gained some skills.”

Lesley said that aside from the astounding solutions the students came up with in envisioning a futuristic university, the two-day hackathon also looked like a lot of fun.

“The variety and multi-disciplinary aspects and quite broad considerations that you each brought to the pieces was inspiring,” she added.

The Third Place went to Team Campus Link, which provided a solution for belongingness and well-being. The Second Place went to Team Future-ra which created a multi-sensory learning experience that promotes inclusivity. And the First Place was awarded to Roots Cause whose vision for a futuristic university is to create a bio-sentient campus, built on a circular economy.

There was also a live voting on the People’s Choice, a spot given to Team Pigeon. Their members focused on transport systems and created a handy delivery system powered by an app. But the real prize was the experience of helping to shape the conversation about what UCD — and universities everywhere — could become.

An MSc in Finance student, Sergei, whose team Pigeon won the People’s Choice Award, said that he had an amazing time with friends he just met.

“Hopefully, all the ideas shown here will be implemented in the future,” he said. 

If you are interested in collaborating with a hackathon or other innovative events at UCD, feel free to reach us at innovation.academy@ucd.ie