RCSI Annual Report 2023 2024

A year in pictures

July

New surgical Fellows are among the 907 healthcare professionals celebrating their conferring ceremony at RCSI.

August

More than 520 alumni and guests return to RCSI for the Alumni Gathering to reunite, engage and exchange ideas.

September

RCSI opens its doors for Culture Night with an exhibition to celebrate the life and legacy of pioneering Irish surgeon Abraham Colles.

October

More than 700 new students don their white coats for the first time at our annual White Coat Ceremonies.

November

Every Branch of the Healing Art written by Dr Ronan Kelly is published, describing the history and impact of RCSI across nearly 250 years.

December

RCSI Students’ Union hosts their inaugural Winter Wonderland event helping everyone to get into the festive spirit.

January

350 second-level students from across Ireland get hands-on experience of healthcare at the RCSI Open Day.

February

RCSI President and Vice Chancellor welcome Taoiseach Leo Varadkar to RCSI for the annual Charter Day celebrations.

March

RCSI reaches a collaborative agreement with Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth to support the delivery of a new dentistry degree programme.

April

The challenge of raising concerns in healthcare is addressed by international speakers at the 2024 Medical Professionalism Conference.

May

1st place student Rachel Frankle celebrates with friends at the RCSI Final Medicine Results Day.

June

A new survey reveals the urgent need for greater education about HIV stigma for healthcare workers and students.

President’s review

Professor

Laura Viani

President

As my two-year Presidency of RCSI concludes, I feel immensely privileged to have served as President of this institution and to have had the opportunity to work with colleagues who are so deeply committed to driving improvements in health and health systems, for the benefit of patients.

I am deeply indebted to the academic, researcher, clinical and professional staff of RCSI for their commitment and dedication. This report details their accomplishments across 2023 – 2024, and the progress RCSI has made in achieving many of its strategic ambitions.

Advancements in surgical training and professional development

I was pleased to see an increase this year in the number of Higher Specialist Trainees, up to 66, which is an increase of 12 on the previous year.

We welcomed Professor Barry McGuire as Professor of Surgical Education and Academic Development this year. Professor McGuire, who is a Urologist, will bring his vast experience in robotic training to RCSI.

Under Professor McGuire’s leadership, and through our collaboration with the International Medical Robotics Academy (IMRA) in Melbourne, we continue to develop the robotic surgery training curriculum and courses.

RCSI’s Continuing Professional Development Support Scheme continues to grow with more than 900 enrolments this year.

Rising to challenges

The Millin Meeting returned this year as a dedicated, in-person occasion, for the first time since 2019. The annual meeting – named in honour of former President of RCSI Terence Millin – had a programme covering the latest trends in surgery and healthcare including a research symposium on surgical trials and research taking place in Ireland. The prestigious 46th Millin Lecture was delivered by Mr Michael Eamon Kelly FRCSI PhD. Mr Kelly, a consultant colorectal surgeon with a special interest in advanced pelvic malignancy, delivered a thought-provoking lecture entitled ‘Marginal Gain Theory and the Power of Collaborative Research in Advanced Colorectal Cancer’.

In February, we gathered for RCSI’s annual Charter Week Meeting. The Meeting is held each year to mark the anniversary of the granting of the Royal Charter to the College in 1784, but it is also an opportunity to for us to gather as a community of surgeons and reflect on the opportunities and challenges we face together, in a changing world.

Pictured at RCSI Charter Day 2024 were Professor Deborah McNamara, Vice-President; Professor Hannah McGee, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, who was awarded an Honorary Fellowship in recognition of her outstanding contribution to RCSI; and Professor Laura Viani, RCSI President.

The College continues to play an important role, on behalf of the surgical community, in advocating and collaborating for the changes that will improve surgical services for the benefit of patients.

We heard several keynote speakers address the provision of healthcare during war. BBC Correspondent Fergal Keane delivered the 31st Carmichael Lecture entitled ‘The Necessity of Hope: Finding Light in a World of Pain’. The 99th Colles Lecture was presented by Professor David Nott, Professor of Practice (Surgery) and consultant surgeon in Imperial College, London, on ‘Leaving a Legacy in War Zones’.

The annual Johnson & Johnson Lecture was delivered by Mr Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health, New York, who explored ‘Leading Healthcare into Transformational Change’.

Key symposiums included ‘Surgery Responding to Global and Environmental Change’; ‘Transitions in a Surgical Career’; ‘Crisis Management: What Have we Learnt?’ and ‘Technology of the Future for Irish Surgery’.

Gender balance in surgery

Gender balance and diversity remains a key priority for RCSI and it is an issue we continue to measure and monitor. This year saw the appointment of 57% men and 43% women to Core Training, and 60% men and 40% women to Higher Specialty Training.

The 2024 Progress Women in Surgery Fellowship, funded by Johnson & Johnson MedTech, was awarded to Ms Ola Ahmed. She will undertake a two-year research fellowship under Professor William Chapman in the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis. Her principal areas of research are upper GI and hepatobiliary surgery.

Professor Sean Tierney

This year we lost our wonderful colleague, Professor Sean Tierney. Sean was a dear friend and a stalwart of RCSI throughout his career. In July 2023, we were touched when Sean received an Honorary Fellowship from COSECSA, the College of Surgeons in East, Central and Southern Africa, in acknowledgement of his huge support in developing surgical training with COSECSA in the region. In honour of Sean’s memory, RCSI has established a scholarship to support trainees in the region to secure fellowship training opportunities that will enable them to gain higher skills and engage in specialist training so they can continue to develop under the highest standards of surgical training. The first recipient of the award is Neurosurgeon, Dr Peter Mushenya.

Influencing and collaborating

Professor Deborah McNamara, Vice President and co-lead National Clinical Programme in Surgery; Stephen Donnelly TD, Minister for Health; Professor Laura Viani, President; and Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, pictured at the launch of clinical guidance for surgical hubs in February.

The College continues to play an important role, on behalf of the surgical community, in advocating and collaborating for the changes that will improve surgical services for the benefit of patients.

During my Presidency, I was pleased to establish a number of committees examining issues including new technologies in surgery, the impact of climate change on surgery, and the late-career surgeon.

The working group looking at new technologies, chaired by Professor Ronan Cahill and made up of experts from surgical practice, industry and the HSE, looked at robotics, artificial intelligence, genomics, and other emerging technologies that will impact how we practise surgery into the future.

The launch of new digital portal for Alumni and Fellows and Members reflects our commitment to engaging with and supporting RCSI graduates and the surgical community as they move through their careers.

Professor Camilla Carroll chaired the committee on sustainable surgery which culminated in the publication of RCSI’s report on Sustainability Principles and Practices in Surgery on Charter Day 2024. In parallel, we developed a short online CPD course to highlight the simple measures surgeons can implement in their own practice to address the carbon footprint of surgery. Sustainability in surgery remains a priority for RCSI and we will continue to support theatres to better understand how they can implement the Green Surgery Checklist.

The Late-career Surgeon Project, chaired by Professor Thomas Lynch, has looked at all aspects of the life and career of surgeons as they approach retirement.

Engaging with Fellows and Members

RCSI is proud of our global community of Fellows, Members and alumni. Each spent part of their journey with RCSI and now they are wonderful ambassadors for our College, delivering excellence in patient care all over the world.

I have endeavored to remain in close contact with Fellows and Members – listening to their concerns and sharing updates with them on issues relevant to their practice, and giving them opportunities to connect and engage with each other. The recent launch of new digital portal for Alumni and Fellows and Members reflects our commitment to engaging with and supporting RCSI graduates and the surgical community as they move through their careers. These portal offers a range of benefits, including access to online publications, webinars, and exclusive career development support.

Thank you

As I end my two-year term as President of RCSI, I wish to express my deep appreciation to everyone who has supported me in my role, and to everyone across the RCSI community who work so diligently every day to achieve our shared goals.

I wish to thank Vice-President Professor Deborah McNamara, and our fellow elected Council members, for their ongoing support and collegiality, and to the Fellows and Members of the College for their engagement.

I am immensely grateful to RCSI’s Vice Chancellor and CEO/Registrar Professor Cathal Kelly; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Professor Hannah McGee; Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Professor Fergal O’Brien; and each member of the senior management team for their continued leadership and hard work.

Professor Laura Viani, President; Minister Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science; Professor Deborah McNamara, Vice-President; and Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive, pictured at the ‘topping out’ of RCSI’s new education, research and engagement building at 118 St Stephen’s Green, marking a major milestone in the €95 million campus expansion project.

A year in numbers

Rankings and accolades

5 for GOOD HEALTH and WELL-BEING WORLD #

TOP

Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024

#1

medical school in Ireland in the Planetary Health Report Card 2024

300 retained bronze award

Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

Students, trainees and staff

1,388

staff

572 surgical and emergency medicine trainees

5,267 registered students

2,710 undergraduate students (medicine, physio, pharmacy, ATT)

1,399 postgraduate students (masters, MD, PhD)

Note: figures are for RCSI in Ireland for the reporting period 1 July 2023–30 June 2024 unless otherwise specified *Across five international operations

Global healthcare community

32,000*

alumni in 103 countries

10,944

Fellows and Members in 86 countries

Research and innovation

€50.9m grants awarded in 2023

1,637

PubMed indexed articles published in 2023

123,000 citations (2019-2023)

69% Open Access articles (2019-2023)

103 nationalities of students

5 overseas operations: Malaysia (2), Bahrain, Dubai and China

#105 globally for International Outlook Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2024

1 spin-out company approved in 2023

35 collaborative agreements with industry in 2023

7 commercialisation agreements in 2023

Council members

Professor Laura Viani President, RCSI; Consultant Otolaryngologist/ Neuro-otologist; Director of The National Hearing Implant and Research Centre, Beaumont Hospital/RCSI

Professor Deborah McNamara Vice President, RCSI; Consultant Surgeon (General/Colorectal), Beaumont Hospital and Co-Lead National Clinical Programme in Surgery

Professor Ronan Cahill Professor of Surgery, UCD; Consultant Surgeon (General/Colorectal), Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Mr John Caird

Consultant Surgeon (Paediatric Neurosurgery), Beaumont Hospital and CHI Temple Street

Professor Kevin Conlon Adjunct Professor, TCD; Retired Consultant Surgeon (General/HPB), St Vincent’s University Hospital and Tallaght University Hospital

Mr James Geraghty

Consultant Surgeon (General/Breast), St Vincent’s University Hospital; Associate Professor in Surgery, UCD

Professor Camilla Carroll Consultant Surgeon (Otolaryngology/Head and Neck), RVEEH Dublin; Clinical Associate Professor, TCD School of Medicine

Professor K. Simon Cross Retired Consultant Surgeon (Vascular/ General), University Hospital Waterford

Professor David Healy

Associate Clinical Professor, Consultant Surgeon (Cardiothoracic/Transplant), St Vincent’s University Hospital and Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

Professor Calvin Coffey Consultant Surgeon (General/Colorectal), University of Limerick Hospitals Group

Ms Bridget Egan Consultant Surgeon (Vascular), Tallaght University Hospital

Mr Sean Johnston Consultant Surgeon (General), Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore

Mr Paddy Kenny

Consultant Surgeon (Orthopaedic), Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown and The National Orthopaedic Hospital at Cappagh

Professor Thomas H. Lynch

Consultant Surgeon (Urology), St James’s Hospital and Blackrock Clinic

Professor John Quinlan

Consultant Surgeon (Trauma and Orthopaedics), Tallaght University Hospital

Mr Keith Synnott

Consultant Surgeon (Trauma/Orthopaedic), Mater Misericordiae University Hospital; National Clinical Lead for Trauma Services

Mr David Moore

Consultant Surgeon (Trauma and Orthopaedics), Children’s Health Ireland, Crumlin, Tallaght University Hospital and Blackrock Clinic

Professor Paul Ridgway

Associate Professor of Surgery, TCD; Consultant Surgeon (General), Tallaght University Hospital, National Clinical Advisor in General Surgery at the NCPS

Professor Kilian Walsh

Consultant Surgeon (Urology), University Hospital Galway

Professor Michael K. Kerin

Professor of Surgery, University of Galway; Consultant Surgeon (Breast/Endocrine/General), Galway University Hospital; Director, Cancer Managed Clinical Academic Network, Saolta

Ms Margaret O’Donnell

Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Blackrock Clinic; Group Clinical Director, Blackrock Healthcare Group

The Hon. Mr Justice Peter Kelly Retired President of the High Court

Roderick Ryan Chartered Accountant

Vice Chancellor’s review

Professor Cathal Kelly Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive/Registrar

I am pleased to share an overview of the achievements of the RCSI community during 2023/2024 and acknowledge the great strides we have made over the past 12 months which is testament to their ingenuity and dedication.

Innovating for a healthier future

In September, we launched a new five-year strategy which is built on our mission to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health. It sets out a series of goals which will allow us to meet the health workforce needs of society and create the insights and innovations that will drive health improvements. In particular, Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 unites the RCSI community in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) – with a particular focus on Goal 3, which targets good health and well-being.

A new School of Dentistry

A major milestone this year was the establishment of RCSI’s new School of Dentistry. We made significant progress as we continue to work towards the first intake of students to our new Bachelor of Dental Surgery in September 2025. In May, we secured the support of the Dental Council to launch the new degree programme, which will be the first community-based dental degree in Ireland.

Professor Albert Leung was appointed Head of our new School of Dentistry during the year. Professor Leung, an esteemed dental educator and researcher, is now leading the School’s preparations.

Our expanding campus

Our campus footprint continued to expand during the year, with significant progress made on our major development at 118 St Stephen’s Green and our new Education and Research Centre at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown.

In May, we were delighted to welcome Patrick O’Donovan TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, for the ‘topping out’ of 118 St Stephen’s Green,

marking the point in the project when the building reached its maximum height.

When it opens, the development will become the new ‘front door’ of RCSI and it will include a public engagement space aimed at enabling people to live long and healthy lives. The new facilities will enrich the student experience at RCSI and provide vital infrastructure for patient-centered health sciences research and innovation.

Our new €32 million Education and Research Centre at Connolly Hospital was near completion at the end of this reporting year. This transformational project will greatly enhance the student experience at Connolly and provide new state-of-the-art simulation facilities and hospital laboratories for the HSE.

Athena Swan Bronze renewal

We were proud to achieve the renewal of our institutional Athena Swan Bronze Award in August 2023. In April 2024, our Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine achieved its renewal. We were also named Company of the Year at the National Diversity and Inclusion Awards during the year.

CINNTE institutional review

We welcomed the CINNTE Review Team to RCSI in Autumn 2023. Their subsequent report commended our stakeholder communication, access to learning and development opportunities for staff, the curriculum design approach and the support we make available to our students.

The review visit marked the culmination of an enormous crossuniversity effort, the scale of which reflected our deep commitment to quality improvement.

Education

This year saw the successful roll out of Year 2 of our Transforming Healthcare Education Project and the completion of our planning for Year 3. I am pleased to report that the feedback from our students has been overwhelmingly positive.

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor; Professor Laura Viani, President; and Connor Lenihan, Students’ Union President at the launch of Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027, RCSI’s five-year strategic plan which was launched in September.

We launched a new Teaching, Learning and Assessment Strategy, promoting alignment across Schools and courses on key priority areas including AI, student feedback and digital education.

For the first time, our Schools of Medicine, Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS), and Nursing and Midwifery all ranked in the Top 200 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024. This is a wonderful acknowledgment of the quality and impact of the education delivered by our Schools.

Innovating for a Healthier Future 2023-2027 unites the RCSI community in supporting the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Our Physician Associate programme received HEA funding in December to expand the Physician Associate workforce. This doubled our student intake in January. In a development that will significantly promote awareness of this new profession to Ireland, graduates will have a service obligation to the HSE once they are fully qualified in exchange for sponsorship over the entire two years of their training.

Research and innovation

During the year, our research community continued its focus on impactful translational and patient-centred research. We published a total of 1,637 PubMed indexed articles and we achieved more than €50 million in grant funding in 2023, making it our most successful year to date. One particular highlight was the €23.2 million grant from Science Foundation Ireland for the second phase of the RCSI-led FutureNeuro Research Centre.

The largest genetic study of its kind, coordinated by the International League Against Epilepsy including Professor Gianpiero Cavalleri (PBS and FutureNeuro), discovered specific changes in our DNA that increase the risk of developing epilepsy.

I am extraordinarily proud to work with the academics, researchers, clinicians and professional staff who every day show their dedication to innovating for a healthier future.

At the Beaumont RCSI Cancer Centre, research led by Professor Leonie Young (Department of Surgery) and Dr Damir Varešlija (PBS) uncovered a gene called RET as a crucial factor in the spread of breast cancer to the brain.

Research led by Professor Mary Cannon (Department of Psychiatry) showed that children with mental health issues are more likely to have poor mental and physical health in their late teens and early 20s.

In 2023, we once again exceeded our knowledge transfer targets as set by Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI). We received a €1.2m award from KTI to support our innovation activity and to appoint a dedicated spin-out development manager.

We also achieved a total of €4.6 million industry income in 2023.

Supporting healthcare and society

Across the RCSI community, our people are driving initiatives and engaging in partnerships which are making a positive impact on healthcare and society. Their efforts resulted in RCSI maintaining our leading global position in the 2024 Times Higher Education Impact rankings for “Good Health and Well-being” (UNSDG 3), ranking 5th in the world.

Underscoring our commitment to the UNSDGs, we published an ambitious Climate Action Roadmap in May, setting out how we plan to achieve our net carbon zero target.

In November, we launched a new engagement strategy, Building partnerships with people and places, showcasing the range of community, public and patient engagement activities our community is involved in.

Our flagship public engagement initiative, RCSI MyHealth, continues to grow and expand its impact. Our academic experts have now reached more than 230,000 members of the public, sharing their insights on a range of health concerns.

In a year of enormous global turmoil and humanitarian crisis, RCSI was pleased to play a role in the international response. Through our team in the Institute of Global Surgery, we launched a free open-access e-learning platform which is now being used in every area of conflict and humanitarian emergency in the world –including Gaza and Ukraine.

Professor Hannah McGee

In June, Professor Hannah McGee, concluded her term as foundation Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs. Hannah has been instrumental in so many landmark achievements in our recent history and has shaped the university we have today. It has been a great honour to work in partnership with such an outstanding colleague and I thank her for her stellar contribution.

Official Languages Act

RCSI remains committed to meeting its obligations under the Official Languages Act 2003. There is an increased use of bilingual signage around campus and this will continue to be rolled out incrementally, thanks to the work of our Estates team. In addition, RCSI has taken significant steps toward meeting its advertising obligations through Irish and I commend the Communications and Marketing Departments for their efforts in this regard.

Thank you

RCSI is built on the talents of its people. I am extraordinarily proud to work with the academics, researchers, clinicians and professional staff who every day show their dedication to innovating for a healthier future.

I would like to acknowledge the commitment and effort of our students who are the healthcare leaders of the future and the patients who are central to everything we do.

I am particularly grateful for the support of President Professor Laura Viani and the RCSI Council throughout the year.

I am deeply indebted to all of my colleagues on RCSI’s senior management team. Their vision and dedication continues to be a driving force behind our strategic achievements. I thank them for their ongoing leadership and collegiality.

Senior management team

Michael McGrail Director of Corporate Strategy

Kieran Ryan Managing Director of Surgical Affairs

Abi Kelly Director of International Engagement and External Relations

Aíne Gibbons Director of Development, Alumni Relations, Fellows and Members

Eunan Friel Managing Director of Healthcare Management

Barry Holmes Director of Human Resources

Jennifer Cullinane Director of Finance

Justin Ralph Chief Technology Officer

Professor Hannah McGee Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

Professor Cathal Kelly Vice Chancellor and Chief Executive/Registrar

Professor Fergal O’Brien Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

The PROGRESS Fellowship award will support me as I explore the boundaries of highly complex HPB surgeries, including liver transplantation and robotics, at an international centre of excellence.

Ms Ola Ahmed, Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary (HPB) surgeon and recipient of the 2024 PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowship

Surgery

Kieran Ryan Managing Director, Surgical Affairs

In Surgical Affairs, the focus for the year was on growing our training numbers to address the workforce requirements of the health services, specifically in surgery and emergency medicine.

We have taken into account the Department of Health’s NCHD Taskforce report published in February 2024. Not only do we have to look at how we train the numbers of surgeons in the various specialties to meet future workforce needs, we also have to look at how we organise training and support trainees during their careers.

The NCHD Taskforce highlighted two main areas the training bodies should address.

One is the issue of geographical-based training to minimise the number of moves a trainee will have to make. The other is the question of how we support long-term Registrars to enter structured training and then progress towards Specialist Registration.

During the reporting period, we recruited 80 Core Surgical Trainees and 66 Higher Specialist Trainees, the latter an increase of 12 on the previous year. Of these, 13 were appointed into Core Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine and 16 into Advanced Specialty Training in Emergency Medicine.

Gender balance and diversity remains a key priority for the College, an area we continue to measure and monitor, while ensuring every appointment is on merit. This year we appointed 57% men and 43% women to Core Training, and 60% men and 40% women to Higher Specialty Training.

RCSI is grateful for the support of the specialties and hospital sites working with us to develop our training posts and provide the supports required to meet the accreditation standards for training.

We continue to endeavour to provide as much advance notice as possible to trainees of where their rotations will be. From their feedback, trainees prioritise the best training to suit their career needs over the most convenient training, so we aim to strike a balance between minimising disruption and ensuring trainees fulfil all the requirements of specialty training. RCSI is committed to flexible training and we support trainees in taking time out from training to pursue research and other training interests as well as supporting them through the big milestones in their lives.

We have also looked at the taught elements of our programmes to see how best we can minimise travel and the necessity for overnight stays. As well as addressing climate change, the feedback from trainees with families in particular is that they want to be at home as much as possible, so we are delivering more training in Galway and in the ASSERT Centre in University College Cork, and we will continue to increase the number of courses that can be delivered at local level. We have applied to the HSE for capital funding to support more training in regional centres.

We continue to work with our colleagues in the ASSERT Centre to provide high-end cadaver-based training. This is key in trauma and emergency care, with trainees benefiting from supervision by the excellent local faculty and having the opportunity to hone their skills and knowledge of difficult operations. We also continue to collaborate with our colleagues in the ASSERT Centre to deliver advanced trauma training.

In 2023, we appointed Professor Barry McGuire as Professor of Surgical Education and Academic Development. Professor McGuire, who is a Urologist, will bring his vast experience in robotic training to RCSI. With our collaboration with colleagues in

the International Medical Robotics Academy (IMRA) in Melbourne, through our strong relationship with RCSI Honorary Fellow Professor Tony Costello, we continue to develop the robotic surgery training curriculum and courses. Professor McGuire will lead the academic and teaching faculty to deliver innovative and relevant training courses and educational programmes.

We continue to be grateful for the support of our industry partners and to Intuitive in particular, who have provided the College with its DaVinci robotic platform to help support training, enabling us to expand the number of specialties engaged with robotic training and to run a regular calendar of robotic training days.

With our collaboration with colleagues in the International Medical Robotics Academy (IMRA) in Melbourne, we continue to develop the robotic surgery training curriculum and courses.

Surgical trainees pictured at the 2024 Surgical Bootcamp which took place at the National Clinical and Surgical Skills Centre at 26 York Street.

We worked closely with the Irish Surgical Trainees Group (ISTG) to develop a mentorship programme to support trainees, and organised a careers day to give trainees a better insight into the various specialties and the kind of careers and working lives they can expect. We have developed a Future Trainers Fellowship Grant using funding from our successful International Fellows Programme. We also supported the ISTG’s Silver Scalpel Award, given by the trainees to the best trainer of the year and this year’s award went to Professor Paul Ridgeway, Consultant General Surgeon in Tallaght University Hospital.

With the ISTG we organised a ‘Preparing For Consultancy Workshop’ to look at the early consultant career of our trainees and the supports they need.

Postgraduate and Continuing Education and Research

RCSI’s Continuing Professional Development Support Scheme (CPD-SS) continues to go from strength to strength, with an enrolment this year in excess of 960. This HSE-supported programme allows our NCHDs and consultants to participate in a mixture of self-directed learning using online platforms, in-person education and skills-based courses.

We have developed a number of innovative certificate programmes in the areas of quality assurance and improvement. The Basic Surgical Principles and Practice Certificate (BSPPC) enables early-career HSE NCHDs with an interest in surgery to embark on a pathway of learning. The BSPPC blends core knowledge with clinical, technical and non-technical skills, and also covers human factors and professional behaviour.

The 2024 Progress Women in Surgery Fellowship, funded by Johnson & Johnson MedTech, has been awarded to Ms Ola Ahmed. She will undertake a two-year Research Fellowship under Professor William Chapman in the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis.

RCSI’s Continuing Professional Development Support Scheme (CPD-SS) continues to go from strength to strength, with an enrolment this year in excess of 960.

The National Surgical Research Support Centre (NSRSC), which is led by Professor Stewart Walsh and Dr Anne Marie Byrne, is supporting eight surgical clinical trials nationally and has provided funding to support some feasibility studies. It has also supported trainees to attend the BOASTiC (Bristol, Oxford and Aberdeen intervention Course) surgical trials course in the UK, and were successful in bringing this internationally recognised course to RCSI in September 2024.

Professor Stewart Walsh, National Surgical Research Support Centre Clinical Lead

The National Surgical Research Support Centre was established to create an Irish Surgical Trials Network, support the traineeled Irish Surgical Research Collaborative and promote engagement by Irish surgeons in international clinical trials. The Centre has a core team of permanent staff, based in Surgical Affairs and led by Kieran Ryan and Dr Anne-Marie Byrne. The team supports investigator-led clinical studies across all surgical disciplines. I am the current clinical lead, a role that will rotate amongst the various surgical disciplines over time.

Most of our team’s efforts over the last three years have focussed on assisting Irish surgeon-investigators to open or expand their clinical trials. The NSRSC contains a wealth of trials and regulatory expertise, providing advice and assistance with everything from initial protocol design to regulatory submissions, database set-up, statistical planning and trial monitoring. So far, this expertise has been used by surgeoninvestigators to open or extend national clinical trials evaluating questions such as the role of different dressings in wound complications following laparotomy or amputation, local anaesthetic following laparoscopic appendicectomy, bone transection methods in metatarsal amputation and heat to assist endovenous ablation procedures.

Alongside these efforts to create an Irish surgical trials network, the Centre has Irish surgeon-investigators wishing to join international trials or clinical studies. These have included trials evaluating axillary management in breast surgery patients, surveillance following oesophageal cancer, machine-learning in urothelial malignancy and anti-coagulation strategies following varicose vein ablation.

I’m so proud of the energy and enthusiasm that the members of the Irish Surgical Research Collaborative haves shown. Many of the active trials have grown out of this energy. The Centre has supported a number of ISRC members to attend an international surgical trials design course (BOASTiC) and, most recently, has hosted the first BOASTiC course outside the UK. The collaborative nature of surgical trials is appealing to the next generation of surgeons and the Centre aims to continue nurturing that enthusiasm into the future.

Committees and Working Groups

President Laura Viani established committees to look at the areas of new technologies in surgery, the impact of climate change on surgery, and the late-career surgeon.

The working group looking at new technologies, chaired by Professor Ronan Cahill and made up of experts from surgical practice, industry and the HSE, has completed its work and will soon publish its report. The committee looked at robotics, artificial intelligence, genomics, and other emerging technologies that will impact how we practise surgery into the future, how the College should prepare in terms of priorities and the actions surgeons should take to address these developments.

Previously, the College participated in intercollegiate work on the Green Surgery Checklist, which helps surgeons reduce the climate impact of surgery. Professor Camilla Carroll chaired the group looking at sustainable surgery and published a report on Sustainability Principles and Practices in Surgery on Charter Day.

In conjunction with the report we developed a short online CPD course to highlight the simple green measures surgeons can implement in their own practice.

The Late-career Surgeon Project, chaired by Professor Thomas Lynch, has looked at all aspects of the life and career of surgeons as they approach retirement. The focus of the project is on fruitful ageing, exploring the ways in which the College can support surgeons who want to give back their wisdom and their experience through teaching, training, examining and mentorship. The working group held a seminar, which looked at all these aspects with a focus on understanding the impact of ageing and how surgeons can maintain positivity and happiness.

International activities

We continue to grow our interactions with colleagues around the globe and this year we held our first exams at our new exam centre in Cairo. We continued to deliver exams in Malaysia and Bahrain and remain grateful to our international fellows who serve as examiners and support the next generation of surgeons. We also continue to deliver the basic surgical skills course in Bahrain, and look forward to developing further opportunities for course delivery with our international fellows around the world.

The innovative International Surgical Fellowship Programme continues to be very successful. The College works with sponsors

Professor Cathal Kelly, Ms Barbara Julius, Professor Camilla Carroll, President Professor Laura Viani and Mr Sean Johnson pictured at the launch of RCSI’s report on Sustainability Principles and Practices in Surgery on Charter Day in February.

in other countries who want their surgical trainees to gain international experience and learn from trainers in Ireland. In turn, Ireland benefits from the presence of these high-calibre trainees. During the reporting period, we had 36 International Fellows across a number of surgical specialties. The funding that comes with this Programme allows us to reinvest in surgical practice, and also supports by way of replacing equipment for training and the provision of additional grants to our trainees going on fellowship abroad.

Safe and Sound

This year, our Human Factors team, led by Professor Eva Doherty, launched the ‘Safe and Sound’ podcast. The series highlighted the importance of learning from the stories interviewees have shared, dealing with challenges in their career, how they have addressed safety concerns and supported good governance.

Our new ‘Beyond the Theatre’ podcast features colleagues working in our hospitals who share their own stories as role models to promote surgery as a career.

National Clinical Programmes

We continue our work with the National Clinical Programme in Surgery, the National Clinical Programme in Trauma and Orthopaedic Surgery, and the National Clinical Programme in Emergency Medicine. I wish to acknowledge the enormous

contribution to the Clinical Programme and Irish Surgery of Professor Deborah McNamara when she held the role of National co-lead before her election as President of RCSI.

The National Patient Pathway Performance Effectiveness Programme, led by Charlie Dineen and his team, has been rolled out to three hospital groups. This Programme is being supported by the HSE, using RCSI expertise, to deliver additional capacity in surgical theatres through effective measurement, efficiency measures and process redesign.

Thank you

I would like to pay tribute to the hard work, professionalism and dedication of the Surgical Affairs team who look after the professional, educational and training needs of our trainees, students, trainers, Fellows and Members so diligently. I thank all our Fellows, Members, trainees and associate colleagues who assist in the delivery of our teaching, training, assessments and examinations, the Council of RCSI for their ongoing support to the activities of Surgical Affairs, and my colleagues on the senior management team and across RCSI.

>>> Read about the Institute of Global Surgery on page 36 >>> For RCSI Postgraduate Surgical Awards, see page 100

Dr Fardod O’Kelly, senior lecturer in postgraduate surgical education and Professor Eva Doherty, Director of Human Factors in Patient Safety pictured at the launch of the Safe and Sound Podcast in October.

Connect5Athy exemplifies the significance of societal engagement in driving positive health outcomes and fostering community-based approaches to wellness and is a model for similar programmes in other communities.

Dr Pádraic Dunne, Project Lead for Connect5Athy and Senior Lecturer in at the Centre for Positive Health Sciences.

70%

reduction in gas and electricity usage in 26 York Street 910

specialist surgeons graduated from COSESCA

239,703

viewers and listeners of RCSI MyHealth Lecture Series since 2016

3,600

students participated in Transition Year MiniMed Programme virtually

6

National Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) Festival events hosted

15 networking events held for RCSI graduates

Photo: Antonio Jaén Osuna / SURG-Water

Supporting Health and Societal Well-being

Abi Kelly Director of International Engagement and External Relations

The first theme of RCSI’s new five-year strategy, 2023-2027, ‘Innovating for a Healthier Future’ is Supporting Health and Societal Well-being and it begins with our overarching commitment to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

The link between human health and planetary health is undeniable, which is why sustainability is now a focus across our education and research programmes and our campus operations.

As part of this, we have pledged to achieve a 50% reduction in our carbon emissions by 2030 and to achieve net zero carbon by 2050.

Our Estates team has been leading the way in making our campus more sustainable and this year achieved a significant reduction—by almost 70%—of gas and electricity usage in our main student building, 26 York Street.

RCSI has introduced planetary health modules in both our medicine and pharmacy teaching programmes, which helped RCSI rank first among all Irish universities in this year’s international Planetary Health Report Card, which assesses medical schools’ commitment to climate action.

Healthcare is second only to aviation as the sector with the largest carbon footprint, with operating suites particularly emissions-intensive. We are working with the HSE to share our expertise in Green Labs accreditation, and in February 2024, we joined with the other Royal Colleges in the UK to launch a sustainable surgery strategy and Green Theatre Checklist at the annual RCSI Charter Meeting.

Our Bahrain campus is also leading the way with its pioneering solar farm project now generating 65% of the campus’s electricity needs. This contributed to RCSI Bahrain being recognised by the WHO as a ‘healthpromoting’ university – setting a benchmark within the higher education sector in the region.

In May 2024, we published an ambitious Climate Action Roadmap, which sets out how we will achieve our net zero target and also underscores our wider commitment to achieving the UNSDGs. We are proud that this commitment resulted in RCSI maintaining a leading position in the THE Impact Rankings 2024 for SDG3 ‘Good Health and Well-being’, ranking fifth in the world.

Another key focus in RCSI’s 2023-2027 five-year strategy is Public, Patient and Community Engagement, which is why our patient advocates were involved in shaping our new institutional plan.

This year, RCSI became an academic partner of Dublin City Council’s Sláintecare Healthy Communities Programme, with RCSI Engage, the School of Population Health and the School of Physiotherapy working with and in four local areas of the city to address health challenges together.

Our REACH RCSI and Admissions teams made progress in engaging people from under-represented groups to consider STEMM subjects at university through programmes such as Dublin Learning City and the Creative Arts Summer School.

Alongside our city partners, RCSI’s response to the war in Ukraine included the Department of Surgical Affairs developing free supports for displaced Ukrainian doctors.

Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor; Abi Kelly, Director of International Engagement and External Relations; Declan Meally, Director of Business, Public Sector and Transport, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland; and Ronan Baxter, Director of Estates, pictured at the launch of the new RCSI Climate Action Roadmap in April.

We published an ambitious Climate Action Roadmap, which sets out how we will achieve our net zero target and also underscores our wider commitment to achieving the UNSDGs.

RCSI is viewed as a credible and trusted voice in empowering people to improve their own health and well-being. Through the work of our communications and events teams and our academic experts, we reached a cumulative audience of more than 230,000 members of the public through the RCSI MyHealth Lecture Series.

During the year, we also shared RCSI’s rich history with more than 500 people through Heritage Open Days, Culture Night and Special Collections, with our Library, Events and Portering teams opening RCSI’s doors to the communities around us.

In November 2023, we launched the new RCSI Engage Strategy, which captures the breadth and depth of our community, public and patient engagement activities. It also sets out how, through the opening of a new public engagement gallery dedicated to health and well-being, at 118 St Stephen’s Green, we will build on this work.

As an institution whose mission is ‘to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’, RCSI is responsive to the impacts of humanitarian disasters and health crises around the world.

We have particular expertise in supporting the sustainability of healthcare systems which have low capacity to provide appropriate patient care due to underinvestment, conflict or natural disaster.

This year, we launched a free open-access e-learning platform, which is now being used in every area of conflict and humanitarian emergency in the world, including Gaza and Ukraine.

A collaboration with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Global Surgery Foundation, the UN SurgHUB surgical training platform is providing training in 164 countries in disciplines including trauma and emergency medicine.

By working together through these partnerships locally, nationally and internationally, RCSI is committed to making an impact on global health and societal well-being.

Engagement and involvement with patients, the public, and our community

Public and patient involvement in research and education

At RCSI, we prioritise keeping the patient and public voice central to our mission. Public and patient involvement (PPI) is key to our 2023-2027 Strategy, ‘Innovating for a Healthier Future,’ reflecting our commitment to integrating PPI deeply into research and education.

PPI in research

In 2021, RCSI joined the National PPI Ignite Network, a €5 million initiative funded by HRB and IRC, dedicated to enhancing patient and public involvement (PPI) in research across Ireland. Dr Michelle Flood, Academic Lead for PPI in Research, and Niamh Dillon, PPI in Research Programme Manager, lead efforts to build capacity and increase PPI activity within RCSI and nationally.

We actively promote PPI through events and training for researchers and students. In October 2023, we hosted six National PPI Festival events, covering topics from neurodiversity to maternal health. Our March 2024 PPI in Research Knowledge Exchange, attended by key stakeholders including research funding agencies, showcased successful collaborations between researchers, patient organisations, and PPI contributors.

We further enhanced PPI visibility at RCSI Research Day in March 2024 through research awards and introduced the inaugural Public/Patient Partner in Research Excellence award, recognising Fiona Weldon for outstanding contributions with the CP-Life Research Group.

We are committed to advancing researcher skills in PPI and this year co-developed and delivered a national PPI and Engaged Research module with University College Cork (UCC) for postgraduate students. Through multidisciplinary development by university staff, PPI contributors and patient organisations, the module equips students with the knowledge and skills to integrate high quality PPI in their future careers. This module was shortlisted for the RCSI International Education Forum Innovation award.

Ciarán McCarthy speaking at a panel discussion at the PPI in Research Knowledge Exchange event at RCSI in March which saw 85 attendees share their diverse experiences.

PPI in education

We work side by side with patients to ensure that the education of our students at RCSI keeps patients at the core of all that we do. Our PPI in Education Committee, led by Michelle Kirrane-Scott and guided by a multidisciplinary team that includes patient and public contributors, students and staff experienced in PPI, ensures that patients and members of the public have a meaningful input through direct engagement with our students to enable them to understand their needs as patients.

Patients sharing stories of their experience with illness or chronic conditions brings curricula to life and enables students to understand the impact of their future approach to patient care. Our students have heard stories from patients on their experience of poor communication during a cancer diagnosis, the challenges of taking a new born baby home from a long-term hospital stay for the first time, the impact of Alzheimer’s on individuals and their families and the challenges of Multiple Sclerosis in the workplace. PPI contributors are also key members of our Interprofessional Learning and Curriculum design groups.

We invite representatives from our PPI in Education contributors to conferring ceremonies, recognising the unique and powerful part that they play in the education of our students.

Professor Annie Curtis, RCSI MyHealth Series Contributor and Committee Member, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences.

Access to accurate and free health information is a key factor in empowering people to maintain their health and well-being.

The RCSI MyHealth series works to demystify common health concerns by drawing expertise and insight from our team of researchers and clinician scientists who are at the cutting-edge of medical and healthcare developments.

RCSI’s mission to ‘educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’ guides the series. The topics covered in each episode are specially chosen to serve the public in a way that is timely and relevant.

RCSI MyHealth lecture series

The RCSI MyHealth lecture series continued for 2023/24 with the aim of bringing reliable and trustworthy healthcare information to the public. Panels of RCSI researchers and international health experts discussed common health concerns and presented cutting-edge of medical and healthcare developments.

Episodes were available online in both video and podcast form. The series’ videos were viewed 4,095 times and the podcast episodes were downloaded 2,362 times bringing the total audience to 239,703 since the series was launched.

The topics covered in RCSI MyHealth are in direct response to public feedback and the most prevalent health issues affecting our population today. Thus, the first three episodes in the series which took place from Autumn 2023 looked at equipping children with the emotional tools to have a positive return to school, treatment and prevention of stroke, and antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’. As the series progressed in 2024, topics included nutrition, heart health and dementia.

RCSI MyHealth Expert Directory

The RCSI MyHealth Expert Directory is a resource for journalists that brings together details of RCSI experts, across a range of healthcare issues and concerns, in an online listing. Over 60 contacts are now included in the Directory divided into their specialties.

I’m privileged to have chaired and contributed to several RCSI MyHealth panels and look forward to my participation in many more. My key areas of research explore how living against our internal body clock is bad for our health and why this leads to numerous diseases including physical illness and mental illness. These are areas that affect us all during our life cycle, but, too often, a mixture of misinformation, the use of overly complex or obscure language, conflicting claims and a lack of clarity means that members of the public are left without the tools to keep themselves informed or make important decisions about their own health and well-being.

This is why I feel so passionately about our RCSI MyHealth episodes. The accessible communication of science, research and its relevance to daily life is key. It is also important that the public can relate to the experts, so it’s important that we have a diverse range of contributors.

An engaging choice of topics is also important and these have recently included cardiovascular disease in women, nutrition for healthy growth and development, two episodes on menopause, antibiotic-resistant ‘superbugs’, stroke prevention and care and back to school tips.

In support of the UNSDG to promote good health and well-being, these academics, clinicians and researchers are willing to engage with the media in their area of expertise so they can empower people with information that lead them to better health.

RCSI was mentioned in 2,344 media articles and segments in Ireland in 2023, driven by the contributions of these expert spokespeople.

New public engagement space

Planning and construction is underway for a new public engagement space, dedicated to health and well-being, at 118 St Stephen’s Green in Dublin city centre that is due to open in 2026. The space is designed to engage the public in dialogue about living longer, healthier and happier lives through dynamic events and exhibitions. The space aims to bridge the gap between health sciences research, professional expertise, and public understanding, empowering people to make informed decisions about their health.

Transition Year Programmes

RCSI welcomed over 250 transition year students from across Ireland in February 2024 to take part in its 17th annual Transition Year MiniMed Programme. A further 3,600 students took part in the programme virtually from across the country.

Those with an interest in training and working as health professionals gained unique insights from those working in the areas of general practice, heart surgery, pathology, paediatrics, forensic medicine, transplants, and obstetrics and gynaecology.

A varied line-up of activities for the week included learning about the experiences of a cancer patient, a forensic pathologist, a doctor working for Irish football teams and a plastic and reconstructive surgeon.

For those interested in careers in pharmacy and physiotherapy, TY MiniPharm and TY MiniPhysio, gave students an opportunity to hear from pharmacists and physiotherapists working in a broad range of settings.

The 13th annual Waterford RCSI TY MiniMed programme at University Hospital Waterford welcomed 120 students from schools in the South Eastern Region.

Transition Year (TY) students Lucy Burns and Abigal Wright taking part in RCSI’s TY MiniMed programme in February.

RCSI Engage and REACH RCSI Programme

The vision of RCSI Engage is to enhance human health and education by building reciprocal partnerships between RCSI staff and students and our local and national communities. Highlights during the year included:

The RCSI Access and Widening Participation programme spans pre-entry programmes targeting primary and post-primary schools, entry routes and post-entry support, and works collaboratively with community partners and educational institutions locally and nationally.

REACH (Recreation, Education And Community Health) is RCSI’s community engagement and access programme connecting the University with the local community, facilitating access to

education for traditionally under-represented groups and promoting health. In 2023-2024, our engagement with primary and post-primary schools took place on and off-campus with RCSI staff and student volunteers visiting classrooms and community centres and engaging in health and educational activities.

During Science Week 2023, the ‘Cracking Crime with Science’ initiative saw DEIS primary schools working with RCSI’s access and community engagement team, academics, student volunteers and Community Gardaí to solve the mystery of the stolen silver graduation mace through a range of science experiments linked to the primary science curriculum framework. UNSDGs in our Community is an engaged learning project, now in

Professor Laura Viani, President and Professor Cathal Kelly, Vice Chancellor with participants of the Cracking Crime with Science event during Science Week 2023.

During Science Week 2023, the ‘Cracking Crime with Science’ initiative saw DEIS primary schools working with RCSI’s access and community engagement team, academics, student volunteers and Community Gardaí.

its second year, that brings together students from RCSI’s Advanced Therapeutic Technologies programme and our linked post-primary schools to explore the UNSDGs in our shared community of Dublin City Centre.

HEA Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) RCSI is a proud member of the HEA-funded Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) Leinster Cluster, a six-college consortium that works collaboratively to promote and advance equality of access to higher education for under-represented groups. Collaborations include:

~ The annual Dublin Learning City Festival 2024, which aims to ensure that education and learning are accessible and free for all.

~ The Community Mentoring programme, a unique interinstitutional and community-based mentoring programme, with RCSI access student volunteers mentoring prospective students in schools and community groups across Dublin.

~ The Creative Arts Summer School, which took place in June 2024, with RCSI hosting 60 participants from underrepresented groups for a day of creativity through interactive workshops, facilitated by the RCSI SIM team, and a Life Drawing Workshop led by RCSI Women on Walls artist Will Nathans.

~ In 2023, six RCSI students were awarded HEA-funded 1916 Bursaries and a further seven access students were awarded RCSI alumni-funded scholarships. Aim High (Medicine), Kiran Pathak (Pharmacy) and Traveller and Roma Community Scholarships support students from priority groups.

Engagement in Dublin and beyond Academic partnership with Dublin City Council and Sláintecare Healthy Communities progressed through collaborative projects such as Uisce Cliste: Healthy Hydration for Dublin led by Dr Grace O’Malley. Professor Debbi Stanistreet leads Fostering Engagement and Advancing Better Health-needs Assessment Strategies (FEABHAS), a community-based project that aims to assess the assets and health needs of three Dublin Sláintecare Healthy communities from the perspective of community members.

During summer 2023, three RCSI students volunteered with our valued international community partner, The Olive Branch for Children (TOBFC) Tanzania, which helps remote communities assess their primary needs and establishes programmes that target the most vulnerable. TOBFC‘s Mobile Medical Clinic operates in the most remote communities providing baseline healthcare, child and maternal health, HIV testing and care, malaria testing and treatment, wound care, family planning, blood pressure monitoring and emergency referrals.

This year, RCSI Engage sponsored two public engagement events: Pint of Science Dublin, a global science communication festival that aims to bring science to everyone, and SoapBox Science Dublin, a platform for public engagement that promotes women and non-binary scientists. RCSI staff and students shared their research with the public at both events.

Institute of Global Surgery

Education and training

Professor Juan Carlos Puyana O’Brien Chair of Global Surgery

The work of the Institute of Global Surgery (IGS) focuses on improving access to high-quality surgical care for underserved populations. Access to surgery is a prerequisite for achieving UNSDG3 (good health and well-being). We collaborate globally with our partners on sustainable projects that improve the lives of both patients and providers. Most of our current work is centred in sub-Saharan Africa, where the need for access to safe surgery is greatest.

The IGS enhances the capacity of low-resource training institutions to achieve their goals through long-term partnerships, supported by Irish Aid, the Government’s cooperation programme managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs. This includes comprehensive support in digitalisation, electronic logbooks, training of trainers, examinations, and quality improvement initiatives. The success of the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) demonstrates the effectiveness of this approach. COSECSA has graduated 910 surgeons, with more than 1,200 currently in training. Additionally, the College of Anaesthesiologists of East, Central and Southern Africa (CANECSA) held its first in-person examinations and scientific meeting in November 2023 in Zimbabwe. In December 2023, the IGS launched a new research programme for female surgical trainees in Africa.

Antonio Jaén Osuna, photographer and Communications Specialist, IGS; Dr Chiara Pittalis, Research Fellow, IGS; Professor Hannah McGee, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs; and Professor Ed Gregg, Head of the School of Population Health, pictured at the launch of the Akazi Exhibition – Breast Cancer in Malawi at RCSI in October.

Working with RCSI SIM, the IGS team supports the development of open-access surgical simulation modules for low-resource settings.

Training programmes for members of surgical teams in lowresource settings often lack access to context-appropriate training materials. Our work in e-learning aims to address this need. The IGS supports the online training platforms of three international training colleges and one NGO, including the launch of the West African College of Surgeons’ (WACS) platform in 2024. We have co-created numerous courses, and our award-winning Pan-African Paediatric Surgery E-Learning Programme (PAPSEP) completed its first three-year cycle in May 2024.

Our most ambitious e-learning project is the United Nations Global Surgery Learning Hub (SURGhub), which celebrated its first anniversary in 2024. SURGhub is an open-access ‘one-stop-shop’ for high-quality, peer-reviewed e-learning for all members of surgical teams. There are more than 5,000 enrolled learners from 165 countries, primarily in low-resource settings, including conflict zones such as Ukraine and Gaza. This global project is underpinned by the IGS, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Global Surgery Foundation, supported by the Johnson & Johnson Foundation.

Working with RCSI SIM, the IGS team supports the development of open-access surgical simulation modules for low-resource settings. In June 2024, we launched the Surgical Education Learners Forum (SELF) mentorship programme and community of practice, funded by the Intuitive Foundation.

This work is only possible through the generous pro bono contributions of many RCSI staff, students and faculty.

IGS research

The IGS continues to be a leading centre for global surgery research, striving to achieve scientific excellence, build capacity and translate knowledge into policies and practice. This past year has been very successful in this regard:

The SURG-Water project won the Science Foundation Ireland/Irish Aid SDG13 Challenge, receiving €1.1m to expand its work. The focus will be on the national scale-up and local sustainability of the low-cost water treatment system we have developed. The aim is to improve access to water for expectant mothers in rural Malawi.

We secured €350,000 from the Irish Research Council to continue the Akazi project developing strategies to improve outcomes for women’s health in Malawi. Over the next three years (2024-2027), the project will develop and test a range of interventions at critical points in the patient pathway. Becton

Dickenson contributed $100,000 to co-fund and support this initiative. We are strongly committed to public engagement, and to this end, we developed the Akazi Exhibition - Breast Cancer in Malawi. This exhibition reveals the realities of women battling breast cancer in one of the poorest countries in the world. The exhibition was held at dlr LexIcon in Dun Laoghaire in February and March 2024, and plans are underway for further showings.

The IGS secured a high-profile partnership with Stellenbosch University, South Africa, in the SURG-Ed project, ‘A Global North-South Collaboration to Develop a Global Surgery Research Module through Student Partnership’, supported by the RCSI SteP initiative. This work was selected by the National Student Engagement Programme as a case study of best practice in staff-student partnerships. Thanks to further ERASMUS+ support, we are currently finalising the course to be offered in the upcoming academic year. The novelty of this one-of-a-kind research methods course is not just its approach (it has been co-designed and will be co-delivered with students), but also its content, as it uses storytelling techniques to maximise participants’ motivation, engagement and learning.

Aíne Gibbons Director of Development, Alumni Relations, Fellows and Members

RCSI Alumni, Fellows and Members – Our Global Healthcare Community

RCSI is committed to deepening its connections with our global community of healthcare professionals. Central to this pledge is our relationship with 32,000 alumni and 11,000 surgical Fellows and Members, who collectively advance health systems in 103 countries worldwide.

Interaction with our global community is multifaceted, encompassing events, communications and volunteering. This year, 15 networking events were held for RCSI graduates, including the annual Alumni Gathering in August 2023, which celebrated the return of 521 alumni and guests to Dublin for their class reunions.

A suite of publications, including magazines, newsletters and bulletins, keeps our global community connected with each other and with RCSI. In Surgical Bulletin, 4,000 surgical Fellows and Members contribute to and read the monthly edition, which includes a mix of surgical practice and policy content, as well as news and updates. Furthermore, since August 2023, 62 alumni, Fellows and Members have registered as volunteers, giving back to RCSI in various ways, including organising events, building networks, giving talks and mentoring students.

Engagement with our alumni, Fellows and Members is key to understanding the role and dedication of our global healthcare professionals in improving healthcare, advancing health systems and enhancing patient care. The recent launch of a new portal for alumni and Fellows and Members demonstrates our commitment to supporting RCSI graduates and the surgical community. The portal offers a range of benefits, including access to online publications, webinars and exclusive career development support.

Alumni Gathering Welcome Reception which took place in August 2023.

We are proud of our alumni, Fellows, and Members, and we will continue to work hard to strengthen and deepen our connections. Their continued support and involvement make us our best.

Development

The RCSI_TOMORROW campaign is strategically focused on achieving a lasting impact on healthcare advancement by supporting talented students, committed faculty leaders, cutting-edge research and a world-class campus. We have successfully mobilised support from RCSI’s philanthropic community, and as Phase 1 of the Campaign concludes, we have raised €35m for four priority areas key to delivering on RCSI’s strategic priorities:

1. Creating Healthcare Leaders of Tomorrow

The level of care and concern for today’s students among our alumni and philanthropic donors, who are strong supporters of scholarships and student programmes, continues to deepen. Scholarships and bursaries have made medical education more accessible, fostering a diverse and talented cohort of future healthcare professionals. Additionally, support for Clinical Electives, Research Summer School, PROGRESS Women in Surgery Fellowships and StAR MDs has greatly enriched the RCSI experience for many recipients.

2. Building Healthier Societies

The appointment of leading international experts continues to bring significant experience and expertise to RCSI, creating specialised research centres focused on critical health areas. This not only enhances RCSI’s research capabilities but also contributes

to advancements in healthcare. Notable positions supported through the RCSI_TOMORROW campaign include the Chair of Simulation, Chair of Medical Professionalism, Chair of Global Surgery and the expansion of the Centre for Positive Health Sciences.

3. Advancing Breakthrough Research

Research excellence is central to RCSI’s mission. Generous philanthropic support has catalysed significant initiatives in fields such as breast cancer, spinal cord injury and global surgery, driving innovation and discovery. This targeted approach has accelerated progress in crucial areas of medical science by exploring new cancer treatments, developing advanced medical technologies and pursuing innovative health systems research.

4. Forging the RCSI Med District

The completion of the Room Naming project at 26 York Street marks a significant milestone in the development of our campus. Looking ahead, our focus is on supporting the development of the new flagship building at 118 St Stephen’s Green and creating a new front entrance to RCSI. The new facilities, over eight storeys, will further enhance our research and innovation capabilities, enabling us to engage in outreach initiatives that extend our impact beyond academic and clinical settings.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all individuals, companies and foundations whose philanthropic contributions have supported RCSI’s mission to ‘educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’. The successful completion of Phase 1 of the RCSI_TOMORROW Campaign paves the way for an ambitious next chapter.

New Members celebrate their conferring at the Penang Members and Fellows Conferring in June 2024.

Our contribution to the UN Sustainable Development Goals

~ 4,845 collaborating international research institutions worldwide (Source: SciVal 2014– 2023)

~ Became member of the United Nations Academic Impact

~ Launched second annual clinical fellowship for surgical trainees and medical professionals with NGO Operation Childlife

~ Won Climate Action prize in the SFI Irish Aid Sustainable Development Goals Challenge, with partner university in Malawi

~ Led Climate Health in Medical Education (CHIME) Ireland to develop a planetary health curriculum for all medical programmes across the island of Ireland

~ Launched Climate Action Roadmap plan to achieve net zero carbon by 2050

~ Estates team named Sustainable Business Team of the Year at the 2024 PWC Business Post Awards for leadership in embedding sustainable practices across campus

~ Published roadmap for sustainability in surgery

~ Zero to landfill policy for waste

~ 50% reduction in food waste

~ No paper cups available on campus

~ No single-use plastic in our cafés

~ 100% compostable takeaway packaging from cafés

~ Launched RCSI Engage Strategy 2023-2027

~ 239,703 viewers and listeners of RCSI MyHealth public lectures (2016-2024)

~ Welcomed local students to Cracking Crime with Science event which aims to encourage children from DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) schools to develop an interest and enthusiasm for science, technology, maths and medicine, during national Science Week

~ Held Summer Camp for students of local DEIS schools to support their social, physical and emotional well-being

~ Launched Every Branch of the Healing Art book which chronicles the history and impact of RCSI across nearly 250 years of surgical, medical and societal change

~ Announced new undergraduate scholarship with Takeda Ireland

~ Won ‘Company of the Year’ at the 2024 National Diversity and Inclusion Awards

~ RCSI Library launched new Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) & Ally-ship Collection in PrimoVE

~ #5 in the world in Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Ranking 2024

~ Strong health research: 11,538 publications, 314,931 views count (Source: SciVal 2014-2023)

~ Professor Debbi Stanistreet, Head of Department of Public Health and Epidemiology provided expert contribution to EUA Report A Green Deal roadmap for universities

~ Professor Sam McConkey appointed as Chair of European Vaccine Initiative

~ RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences launched new initiative to enhance maternal mental health with the Dublin South, Kildare, and West Wicklow Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Working Group

~ RCSI School of Population Health launched ‘Towards SDG 3’ Research Seminar Series

~ Launch of new human factors in healthcare podcast series focusing on key issues within modern healthcare delivery and patient safety

~ 14th RCSI Research Summer School programme immersed undergraduate students in a diverse RCSI research environment

~ Received A- in the 2024 Planetary Health Report Card graded across five key indicators: planetary health curriculum, interdisciplinary research in health and the environment, community outreach and advocacy, support for student-led initiatives and campus sustainability

~ Received Dental Council support to launch new Bachelor of Dental Surgery

~ 32,000 health professions alumni across 103 countries

~ PROGRESS Fellowship for Women in Surgery celebrated its sixth year

~ Positive equality practices recognised with Athena Swan Bronze Award

~ BIAS - Inequality in Women’s Health and Research Initiative awarded Equality Initiative of the Year at the Irish Medical Times Healthcare Awards

~ 100% green electricity procured

~ 40% improvement in energy efficiency (kWh/sqm) since baseline 2006

~ Launched new Surrogacy Leave Policy to support staff who are welcoming a child through surrogacy

~ Awarded Best Educational Sector Company at the Menopause Workplace Awards 2023

The tailored support at RCSI helped me to set and achieve my goals. I now feel ready for the next step in my career and to be the best doctor I can be.

Dr Suaad Alshleh, RCSI School of Medicine

Class of 2024, recipient of the William C Campbell bursary award and RCSI Aim High medical scholarship.

350

graduates of Diploma in Health Professions Education (2015 – 2023)

83 staff engagements in Health Professions Education Consultancy Service

31 Student Engagement and Partnership (StEP) projects

160,000 hours of RCSI SIM supported student learning activities

117 student projects at RCSI Research Summer School

705 participants in Lifestyle Medicine Certificate programme to date

Transforming Education and Student Success

Professor Hannah McGee Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

During the year, RCSI successfully rolled out Year 2 of the groundbreaking Transforming Healthcare Education Project (THEP) undergraduate medicine curriculum and completed planning for Year 3.

THEP is proving popular with students as the University continues to champion student success. We worked with the student unions in a concerted effort to bring back student life to campus, post-pandemic, and we saw a marked increase in student engagement in academic and social activities.

Following its visit in Autumn 2023, the CINNTE Institutional Review praised RCSI’s communication, staff development, curriculum design, and student support, noting its strategic focus, shared ambition, and commitment to student-centered learning as key to the University’s success.

During the reporting period, we launched a Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy to serve as a blueprint for the priorities in the degree programmes the University currently delivers, as well as those it will deliver in the future. The Strategy seeks to ensure alignment across courses around key principles such as digital education and individualised student feedback, and will enable Schools to learn from one another across an increasing number of educational programmes.

The Strategy Committee has identified the need to explore AI in education as both an opportunity and a challenge, and has established a working group led by Dr Dara Cassidy, RCSI’s Head of Online Education.

The Strategy Committee provided a summary of best practices in EDI and how itis taught in different RCSI programmes at this year’s International Education Forum.

The University has established a new School of Dentistry, its eighth School and the first undergraduate dentistry programme since 1977. The Foundation Head of School is Professor Albert Leung. Responding to the major Irish and international shortage in the dental workforce, the School has rapidly progressed plans for the first community-based education programme in undergraduate dentistry in Ireland. Following RCSI and NUI approval, the School has received regulatory support from the Irish Dental Council to launch a new Bachelor of Dental Surgery degree. The programme will commence in September 2025 and will run in partnership with Peninsula Dental School, University of Plymouth. Planning for the construction of Dental Education Centres at RCSI Sandyford and Connolly Hospital is well advanced.

We worked with our partners in Children’s Health Ireland on the planned integration of paediatric education into a single site when the new Children’s Hospital opens. In a welcome development, Professor Susa Benseler took up the position of Chief Academic Officer in March 2024.

Honorary Doctorates

RCSI Honorary Doctorates are awarded to those who have made an outstanding contribution to society. Awardees conferred during the year who addressed RCSI conferring ceremonies to inspire our new graduates were:

Margaret Murphy, Patient Safety Advocate and the External Lead Advisor Emeritus, for the World Health Organization (WHO), Patients for Patient Safety Programme

Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency and Chair of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities

Professor Dorothy Roberts, 14th Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, George A. Weiss University Professor of Law & Sociology, and Raymond Pace & Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights at University of Pennsylvania

Noeline Blackwell, Former CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Human Rights Lawyer

Emer

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE, Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences at the University of Cambridge

Professor Hannah McGee pictured with The E-Bridge Team, winners of the 2024 RCSI Student Innovation Challenge which took place during the RCSI Research Summer School. The Student Innovation Challenge is led by Dr Aoife Gallagher, Head of Innovation (right) and Dr Shona Pfeiffer, Lecturer in the Department of Physiology and Medical Physics (left).

RCSI has established a Centre for Adults with Cerebral Palsy at the School of Physiotherapy, with support from the Cerebral Palsy Foundation and Science Foundation Ireland. This will drive service enhancements, education and research.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 show that, for the first time, the School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, and the School of Nursing and Midwifery have all ranked in the Top 200. This reflects the continued hard work, effort and cooperation of everyone in the RCSI community, led by the Insights and Planning Office and Communications teams.

Internationally, we received final approval for the establishment of the International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation (ICPI), a Joint Education Initiative of Soochow University, China, and RCSI. The RCSI-Soochow agreement is the first university-to-university project ever undertaken by RCSI and its first project in China. The aim of ICPI is to be both innovative and transformative, fusing Chinese and international higher education, with dual undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The first cohort of Pharmacy students will start in September 2024, based in the ICPI building on the Future Campus of Soochow University, Suzhou, China. The Dean will be Professor Zhiyuan Zhong, Professor of the College of Pharmaceutical Sciences and International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation at Soochow University, with RCSI’s Professor Brian Kirby as Deputy Dean.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 show that, for the first time, the School of Medicine, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, and the School of Nursing and Midwifery have all ranked in the Top 200.

In Autumn 2023, RUMC Penang appointed Professor Karen Morgan, a graduate and former staff member of RCSI, as President and Dato Professor Rashid Khan as Dean.

Supporting careers, CoMPPAS successfully delivered the bespoke ‘Design Your Life’ early-career career planning programme for the final Perdana University (PU)-RCSI class and a cohort of Dublin students. Final commencements for the last class of the PU-RCSI medical programme in Malaysia will take place in Winter 2024.

Medical Programmes

Professor Arnold Hill Dean of Medical Programmes

The Dean of Medical Programmes oversees the Schools of Medicine in Dublin and Bahrain, as well as the University’s MSc in Physician Associate Studies.

Our work aligns with RCSI’s strategy to Transform Education and Student Success through the implementation of future-focused curricula, the promotion of early career readiness and the amplification of learner voice and engagement through enhanced student feedback systems.

This year, the School of Medicine successfully delivered the second year of our Transforming Healthcare Education Programme (THEP) to first- and second-year medical students in Dublin and Bahrain. These are the first students who will follow THEP through to graduation.

The smooth rollout of the second year of THEP is a testament to the programme’s strength and the hard work of staff and students in both locations. From the feedback we have received, it is clear that students like THEP. They have told us they enjoy the case-based learning approach, which involves working in small groups. Each student now has a personal tutor with whom they meet four times a year, and they find this to be a hugely valuable support system.

There is now a real sense that this is a great curriculum, with one of the key benefits being that students are learning clinical material very early on.

The change from big end-of-year exams to smaller assessments throughout the year is welcome. Students find this approach less stressful and are motivated to work at a steady pace.

One aspect of THEP that the students find very helpful is the Kaizen technology, which supports their learning. Each student has a personal dashboard that records their performance in each module, assignment and assessment throughout the year. A comparative tool enables them to see how they stand in relation to their classmates at any given time.

At the end of their second year, students now undertake a new six-week module Preparing for Clinical Practice, so that when they begin their clinical placements, they have a clearer sense of what to expect. We delivered this for the first time this year.

We have also expanded the Student Choice module, allowing students to choose a one- or two-week module that appeals to them. In one of the most popular modules, students review live recordings of surgical cases and are encouraged to discuss them in groups afterwards. This has been very well received.

The University was delighted to be able to add 11 new medical school places for EU students and will continue to work with the Higher Education Authority and Department of Health to further expand the number of places available.

Each student now has a personal tutor with whom they meet four times a year, and they find this to be a hugely valuable support system.

Physician Associate Studies

RCSI offers the only physician associate (PA) education programme in the country. Our 72 graduates continue to provide high-quality medical and surgical care to patients across the country in both public and private healthcare facilities.

The programme, funded by the HSE in December 2023 to expand the physician associate workforce, doubled student enrolment in January 2024. In exchange for sponsorship over the entire 24 months of training, graduates will have a service obligation to the HSE once fully qualified.

The largest growth (150%) was in our hybrid programme, which allows students to fully participate in all educational sessions that are live-streamed from our main campus, with only two on-campus days required per month. All clinical placements are completed where the student lives, ensuring their availability to work as fully qualified physician associates after graduating in hospitals across the country facing recruitment challenges. This innovative model of education has enabled students who previously would not have been able to relocate to Dublin to attend the programme.

Transformation at both the individual and collective level is evident, not only in the growth of student enrolment, but by the wider national acceptance and interest in the physician associate profession. Significant progress on the formal recognition of the profession by the HSE has taken place, with the final step of approving a national grade code for physician associates expected this year. Efforts to achieve regulatory approval are ongoing. Once this step is achieved, barriers that currently prevent the full scope of practice for physician associates are expected to diminish significantly.

CoMPPAS

The RCSI Centre for Mastery: Personal, Professional and Academic Success (CoMPPAS) supports students through a team of dedicated education, career and welfare professionals. The CoMPPAS team also helps coordinate RCSI’s orientation programme and International Citizenship Award, as well as supporting tutoring programmes.

Undertaking education in the health sciences can come with several challenges. In response, CoMPPAS focused on the following:

Welfare and learning support highlights

Rollout of a robust student welfare programme, a highlight of which was the World Mental Health Day theme, ‘Voices of Resilience’, which invited staff to share stories and anecdotes on keeping well and overcoming challenges

Partnership between Student Welfare and the Centre for Positive Health Sciences to provide students with resources promoting resilience and techniques to overcome setbacks Student Welfare launch of the ‘Hello, My Name Is’ campaign, encouraging simple introductions as a vital human connection

Revamp of the ‘Responding to Students in Distress’ staff workshops

Additional learning support tutors for students registered with the Learning Access and Facilitation Service (LAFS)

Extension of the LAFS through the rollout of extensive staff training on working with neurodiverse students and providing an inclusive clinical placement experience

Career highlights

Innovation

Career framework and programme rolled out for all schools, underpinned by the Stanford University ‘Design Your Life’ model

Delivery of a student choice model in the new medicine curriculum focused on career planning

Further expansion of the e-portfolio initiative developed on the CareerHub platform

First steps towards opening the Career Development Centre, which will transform how students engage in career exploration and planning

Hosting a series of delegations from North American internship programmes

Supporting the Class of 2024 in achieving record match rates

Engagement

Collaboration with the Students’ Union and student societies to host webinars emphasising personal growth and professional development

Attendance at the International Conference on Residency Education held in Nova Scotia, Canada

CoMPPAS team members presented at the International Education Forum (IEF) and the RCSI Medical Professionalism Conference

Physician Associates celebrate at the Higher Degree Conferring ceremony in May 2024.

Professor Gerry McElvaney Head of School of Medicine

School of Medicine

This year, the focus in the School of Medicine has been on implementing the Transforming Healthcare Education Programme (THEP) as it moves into the clinical arena.

Early career readiness is a major focus for the School of Medicine. We aim to produce doctors who, at the very least, will be good interns, but more importantly we seek to foster a love of lifelong learning that will sustain them throughout their careers. We empower students to look beyond lectures and didactic teaching, encouraging them to read extensively around the topics they are studying. Our electives programme helps students understand that there is a world beyond the curriculum and beyond RCSI.

The new THEP curriculum provides students with constant feedback, giving them the opportunity to improve and remediate. As THEP moves into the clinical arena, we are able to see how it works on the wards, not just in the classroom. Our students are fortunate to have direct patient contact early in their studies, and there are encouraging signs that THEP will produce more empathetic doctors.

We are very fortunate in the support we get from our clinical colleagues in the hospitals, including consultants who work pro bono, as well as tutors and lecturers whose teaching is of the highest standard. This support extends not only to Beaumont, Connolly,

Drogheda and Waterford but also to Cavan, Mullingar, Navan and Kilkenny and the maternity, paediatric and psychiatric hospitals. We expect significant changes in clinical practice in the coming years, with a new emphasis on community medicine, and we are addressing this both in our hospitals and through our outreach programmes.

There are also significant changes in the technological aspects of medicine, including new interventional procedures and the use of robotics in surgery. RCSI students are exposed to state-of-the art treatments on a par with those anywhere in the world.

The match rate for 2023 graduates who want to work in North America was phenomenal. Our graduates now have to work even harder to distinguish themselves from American-based graduates to secure places on these prestigious programmes, but our exchange programmes with North American universities and our alumni network are both very helpful in this regard.

The UK is an attractive option to many of our graduates, and they are doing well at securing jobs there. In the Irish context, many non-EU graduates as well as EU graduates, are securing jobs with the HSE.

Brian Cleary, Isidora Rovic, Suaad Alshleh, Eric Dunne, Linda Kelly, Joana Beyer, Sai Kham Hloi and Anna Whitaker celebrate their graduation from the School of Medicine in June.

Professor Tracy Robson Head of School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

Since its launch in 2019, the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS) has gone from strength to strength, securing €11.3m in educational funding, including €7.8m from the Higher Education AuthorityHuman Capital Initiative, Pillar 3. This funding has enabled the expansion of the flagship MPharm programme and the development of a suite of new industry-focused educational programmes and microcredentials.

Growth has allowed enhancement of our educational facilities, which this year included an additional €1.2m investment to create a high-tech science laboratory with capacity for 142 students. The School continues to contribute to RCSI’s medical, nursing, physiotherapy and physician associate programmes.

MPharm

The revised MPharm, underpinned by innovative approaches, continues to be implemented with the launch of the second year of the programme and two new optional modules in Lifestyle Medicine and Sustainability. We are committed to embedding sustainability and, along with the optional module, have incorporated aspects of climate change and the environmental threats of healthcare in our Global Public Health Module. An additional 15 CAO students were enrolled in the MPharm through funding support from the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (DFHERIS).

BSc in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies (BSc ATT)

The BSC ATT aims to train the next generation of workplace-ready scientists equipped with industry-relevant scientific knowledge, technical competencies and power skills. This year, we rolled out the second year of the BSc programme and launched the Takeda Ireland ATT Undergraduate Scholarship.

MSc

in Technologies and Analytics in Precision

Medicine (MSc

TAPM)

This master’s programme aims to develop skills in technologies and analytics in precision medicine among students. This was the third successful year of the programme, with students registered on both a full-time and part-time basis. The recruitment cycle for 2024 predicts further growth in class size.

Micro-credentials

The MSc TAPM programme launched seven four-week, fiveECTS micro-credentials. In 2024, the School was awarded additional Human Capital Initiative (HCI) funding to reduce the cost of micro-credentials for learners. A fully online microcredential in Connected Healthcare will launch soon.

New programme development

The School is developing a Postgraduate Certificate in Pharmacy Prescribing to support ongoing developments in the expansion of the role of the pharmacist.

The International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation Following Pricing Bureau approval from Jiangsu Province in China, agreements were finalised to open a Joint College with Soochow University in the city of Suzhou, China. This is RCSI’s first international ‘university-to-university’ partnership. This new International College will educate up to 1,000 students across three programmes: BSc Pharmacy, BSc ATT; and MSc by research, commencing in September 2024. To facilitate this development, new academic and professional staff have been hired, with more planned.

The BSC ATT aims to train the next generation of workplace-ready scientists equipped with industry-relevant scientific knowledge, technical competencies and power skills.

Research environment

As a highly research-intensive School, we have achieved new grants totalling €10.4m, 157 publications, three patents granted and three spin-out companies: Inthelia Therapeutics, OncoLize and PrOBMet. We successfully graduated 15 PhD students and one MD student. We placed in the top 200 category in the QS World University Rankings by subject 2024 for Pharmacy.

Dr Judith Harmey, BSc in Advanced Therapeutic Technologies Programme Director pictured in the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences labs with students Aisha Betro and Meghana Dugyala.

School of Physiotherapy

Professor Suzanne McDonough Head of School of Physiotherapy

The RCSI School of Physiotherapy delivers preregistration physiotherapy education (BSc Physiotherapy), Diploma/MSc, Master by Research and PhD programmes. Our vision is to create a positive educational environment that supports student learning while nurturing students’ physical and mental well-being. The School has been instrumental in developing a University-wide RCSI Healthy Campus Action Plan (34 actions) to support the integration of health and well-being across four areas of University life.

Undergraduate Developments

Simulation-Based Education

The School leads the way in Ireland in Simulation-Based Learning as an educational approach to expanding clinical training opportunities. In June 2024, Yasir Qaiser Choudhary, a PhD student, presented a scoping review at the Society for Simulation in Europe conference in Prague.

Curriculum Review

In order to implement an innovative physiotherapy curriculum, the School has undertaken a four-stage redesign process, partnering with students in a StEP project (2022) and consulting with clinical partners and external stakeholders. A mapping exercise of assessment of learning (National Forum, 2017a) was carried out across the new curriculum. The revised approach aligns with RCSI’s Learning, Teaching and Assessment Strategy 2023-2027, and is planned to start in autumn 2025.

Universal Design for Learning (UDL)

The School is leading on UDL to ensure our programmes are responsive to the needs of diverse learners, with Dr Ailish Malone contributing to a panel discussion ‘Challenging narratives on disability in healthcare’, at the International Education Forum in June 2024, with keynote speaker Dr Grace Spence Green.

BSc Physiotherapy graduates Niamh Hand, Celine Tay and Joseph Ward, celebrate their conferring in November.

Student Engagement

The School undertook three student engagement projects this year: a Planetary Health Report Card, which highlighted key areas where we can enhance and improve our content related to planetary health; a project to raise students’ awareness and understanding of Athena Swan principles across RCSI (with funding support from the EDI unit); and a collaboration with the School of Medicine to explore logistics for a future student-led multidisciplinary clinic.

Postgraduate Developments

In order to meet the needs of the healthcare workforce, there has been significant expansion in our postgraduate programmes, in collaboration with RCSI Online, with additional microcredentialled modules added to our existing Diploma/Master’s in Neurology and Gerontology. For the first time, modules are being funded for health professions by the Health and Social Care Professions Office. New tailored online/hybrid programmes are being planned in paediatric disability and musculoskeletal practice, to meet the needs of advanced physiotherapy practitioners.

The School is leading on UDL to ensure our programmes are responsive to the needs of diverse learners.

Professor Zena Moore Head of School of Nursing and Midwifery

School of Nursing and Midwifery

The School of Nursing and Midwifery is a dynamic school which is focused on education and research both nationally and internationally. Our education programmes are exclusively postgraduate, and our key goal is to develop the clinical practice, educational and research capabilities of practising nurses and midwives. The core values for Nursing and Midwifery are care, compassion and commitment. In undertaking further education with us in RCSI, our students exemplify these values, showing a strong focus on leading the world to better health.

Led by our team of 27 staff, we reached a significant milestone this year. For the first time in the School’s history, more than 1,000 students registered for one of our 28 educational programmes, ranging from Bachelor’s degree, Postgraduate Certificate and Postgraduate Diploma to Master’s degree level. We also welcomed the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland to the

School for its inspection of RCSI and the eight affiliated clinical sites where the School of Nursing and Midwifery students are based. We are pleased to report that the overall outcome of this inspection is that we have been granted continued education body and programme approval for a further five-year period.

Our research, centred within the Skin Wounds and Trauma (SWaT) Research Centre, continues to grow, and we are immensely proud of our staff and students who collectively contributed to over 30 publications and 700 citations this year. These outputs have resulted in the SWaT Research Centre team being ranked in the top 0.02% of experts in our field of research in 2023-2024. Our industry collaborations and grant achievements have positively impacted our research student numbers and outputs, and we are immensely grateful to the team in the Office of Research and Innovation and the School of Postgraduate Studies for their continuous support in all our endeavours.

Graduates pictured at the School of Nursing and Midwifery Conferring Ceremony which took place in the Convention Centre Dublin in November.

Professor Darran O’Connor Head of School of Postgraduate Studies

School of Postgraduate Studies

The School of Postgraduate Studies (SPGS) at RCSI aims to be a leading centre for postgraduate education and research in healthcare and health sciences. Our main strategic objectives are to oversee the quality of all higher degrees, provide a transformative learning experience and grow postgraduate research scholar numbers.

Key achievements

The highlight of the SPGS calendar is always the conferring ceremonies. Since 1 July 2023, we have graduated 73 scholars with higher degrees by research (52 PhD, 15 MD and six MSc). For the academic year 2023-2024, we registered 130 new scholars for higher degrees by research (83 PhD, 38 MD and nine MSc). This represents a 31% increase in the number of new PhD and MD scholars compared to 2022-2023 and is the largest intake to date (2022-2023 saw a 46% increase on the previous year), demonstrating the continued growth of the School.

For the academic year 2023-2024, we registered 130 new scholars for higher degrees by research. This represents a 31% increase compared to 2022-2023.

Thanks to our ongoing collaborations with Soochow University, Fulbright and Qatar University, we currently have 40 RCSI StAR PhDs registered. Additionally, in partnership with the Beacon Hospital, Blackrock Health, Bon Secours, Mater Private Network, Highfield Healthcare, UPMC Whitfield Waterford and St Vincent’s Private Hospital, we currently have 68 RCSI StAR MD scholars. Our 2023-2024 intake included 15 additional PhD scholars from the RCSI-Soochow StAR PhD Programme, including two funded by the China Scholarships Council. We currently have scholars from more than 50 different nationalities registered at the School.

A Black Jacket Ceremony was inaugurated in November 2023, with new scholars welcomed to RCSI and presented with a black RCSI SPGS jacket, signifying the beginning of their postgraduate studies at RCSI. The ceremony also hosted the inaugural SPGS awards for Research Communication (Scientific), Research Communication (Public) and Research Output Impact.

In January 2024, SPGS launched mandatory supervisor training for all research supervisors. Delivered online via the Epigeum platform, the training addresses a key deficit identified by the CINNTE review and provides state-of-the-art training for all supervisors.

We were again delighted to support our secondment award winners in undertaking their placements. Scholars will travel to The University of Oxford, Imperial College London, Stanford University and the University of Michigan, among others.

SPGS funded one StEP project this year, focused on building research communities. A research forum was organised for postgraduates to share their work with one other, and a Microsoft Teams postgraduate group was set up to further connect scholars.

PhD candidates celebrated their conferring at the higher degree ceremony in May.

Dr Ailish Malone, RCSI School of Physiotherapy, championing universal design for learning in healthcare practice placements

My research focuses on the integration of Universal design for learning (UDL) into healthcare practice placements, a crucial element of our students’ education at RCSI. As the diversity of our student body continues to grow, it is crucial that our teaching methods evolve to meet their needs. UDL is an educational framework that aims to accommodate all learners by providing multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression. By applying UDL principles, we can ensure that every student, regardless of their background or ability, has an equal opportunity to succeed in their practice placements.

In recent years, we have been working on embedding UDL into the curriculum at the RCSI School of Physiotherapy. This initiative has involved collaborating with clinical partners and educators to adapt traditional teaching methods and create more inclusive learning environments. By incorporating flexible assessment methods, offering a range of learning materials, and fostering an open dialogue with students, we can better support their individual learning styles and needs.

Student partnership

At RCSI, student success is defined as ‘empowering each student to fulfil their unique purpose personally, academically and as future health science professionals’. In our diverse student community, student success is cultivated in an inclusive, collaborative and positive learning and social environment, driving a journey of self-discovery, reflection and personal and professional growth.

Student success is further enhanced through meaningful partnerships and shared responsibilities, ultimately enabling each individual to prosper and achieve their full potential at RCSI and beyond.

The RCSI Student Engagement and Partnership (StEP) programme shapes and promotes student engagement and collaboration across all campus activities and touchpoints in the student journey, positively contributing to RCSI’s institutional management and key decision-making processes, its educational and research programmes, local communities and social environment.

A key element of the StEP programme is empowering students to build their knowledge and skills by partnering with staff on StEPfunded projects. Over the past year, 66 students and 67 staff worked on a total of 31 projects, learning with and from one another and driving positive changes across education, research and service.

To further promote student success, RCSI introduced a new staff award category in May 2024 under the Vice Chancellor Awards Programme: the Student Success Champion Award (Individual or Team Award). This award underscores RCSI’s commitment to

The implementation of UDL in practice placements not only enhances the educational experience for our students but also prepares them to deliver more compassionate and patient-centred care in their future careers. As healthcare professionals, it is essential that our graduates are equipped to meet the diverse needs of the patients they will serve. UDL empowers them to do just that by fostering an inclusive mindset from the very start of their training.

At RCSI, we are committed to ensuring that our teaching and learning strategies evolve in tandem with our student population. My work in this area is just one example of how we are adapting to meet the needs of our students, ultimately contributing to the delivery of high-quality healthcare education.

Deputy Dean for Student Engagement, Professor Celine Marmion with Green Labs StEP project participants Dr Cian O’Connor (Tissue Engineering Research Group) and Seamus McDonald (School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences).

academic excellence and student success by recognising and rewarding staff (both academic and professional) who have made a significant impact on the success of our students.

‘The impacts on my career of partnering with staff on StEP projects were numerous. Having these opportunities to grow professionally during medical school and later to include these in my resume and discuss in interviews undoubtedly contributed to my successful Residency Match to the US, where I matched at my top choice institution and specialty. I am grateful to RCSI for believing in the value of student partnerships and for establishing a programme where students’ creativity and innovation are fostered and encouraged.’

- Katia Yazji Medicine Class of 2024

School of Population Health

RCSI’s School of Population Health works to tackle the world’s population health challenges through research, education and collaboration.

In its second year of operation, the School consolidated and progressed its programme of growth. The team expanded by approximately 30 new faculty, research and professional/support positions, including key leadership roles and the appointment of a Professor in Public Health Medicine and Deputy Head of School – Partnerships.

Selected highlights of the school’s second year achievements include:

Cameron Scholars programme team appointments

Appointments to the Cameron Scholars programme team included four lecturers, three postdoctoral researchers and one PhD scholar, supported by the Programme Manager and Director of Academic Programmes. The team is responsible for leading the development of the school’s academic programmes and providing new areas of research expertise and engagement in the school’s evidence-to-policy and practice profile.

Postgraduate awards in population health leadership

Responding to the need for more applied, outcomes-focused population health education and training to deliver on policy and evidence-based goals, the School has developed three new postgraduate awards – MSc, Postgraduate Diploma and Postgraduate Certificate – in Population Health Leadership, which commenced in September 2023. Development and design work was led by the Cameron Scholars programme team, supported by staff across the School and colleagues in RCSI Online.

Strengthening of the school’s research programme

Researchers across the School were successful in winning €4.2m in international and national funding, publishing 304 papers in peer-reviewed journals and securing a patent. The research culture and infrastructure within the school were further strengthened by the growth of the seminar series, journal club, proposals club, and the commencement of two new research groups focused on women’s health and qualitative research.

Centre, School of Population Health, Professor Jan Sorensen; and Blackrock Health Hermitage Clinic’s Clinical Director of Radiology, Dr John Sheehan at the 2024 National Healthcare Outcomes Conference.

Expansion of Centre for Chronic Disease and Population Health Research

In its first full year of operation, Converge: Centre for Chronic Disease and Population Health Research, appointed key research staff, initiated five streams of work (epidemiology, intervention effectiveness and implementation, health impact modelling, evidence synthesis and global health) and established a programme of collaboration and engagement with key national and international stakeholders.

Growth of the programme of engagement and events

This year saw the delivery of a hugely successful National Healthcare Outcomes Conference focused on AI and healthcare; Medication without Harm knowledge exchange event; Impact of COVID-19 on Cancer Services and Outcomes knowledge exchange event; as well as a growing programme of webinars and seminars.

Professor Edward Gregg Head of School of Population Health

Novartis Ireland Managing Director, Caitriona Walsh; President of the Mayo Clinic, Professor Prathibha Varkey; Director of Healthcare Outcomes Research

Graduate School of Healthcare Management

The Graduate School of Healthcare Management (GSM) at RCSI offers postgraduate programmes to equip healthcare professionals with the knowledge and skills required to achieve career success and thrive in the complex and dynamic healthcare ecosystem.

Our programmes bring together professionals, including clinicians, allied healthcare professionals and managers, to learn together and share interdisciplinary insights to tackle challenges in healthcare.

The programmes are embedded within the healthcare system, leveraging the research and knowledge of our expert faculty. The programmes continue to attract significant numbers, and the Master’s in Healthcare Management has grown to become the largest taught postgraduate programme in the University.

GSM supports RCSI’s commitment to research excellence through the research activity of our faculty and participants. This year, we have continued to support research funding, publications in top-tier healthcare and management journals, and practitioners’ publications, working with colleagues across the University and with international collaborators. GSM also continues to support the work of our postdoctoral students, providing research, publication and impact workshops.

GSM also works directly with healthcare organisations, offering Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and short courses, or co-designing bespoke leadership interventions. We continue to partner with the HSE on its Clinical Director programme, now in its seventh cohort, and to support the HSE with embedding the interdisciplinary working required to implement Sláintecare. GSM has also worked with a number of global healthcare systems to develop future leaders, including Pure Health, the largest private healthcare provider in the UAE, and Johnson &Johnson (EMEA) with its emerging female leaders.

RCSI Online

RCSI Online is a centralised business unit that supports the digital delivery of postgraduate programmes in Ireland and internationally.

Eunan Friel Managing Director, Healthcare Management

Sara McDonnell

Executive Director, Graduate School of Healthcare Management

Dr Colm Foster

Director of Academic Programmes, Graduate School of Healthcare Management

The RCSI Online team, which includes a range of professional capabilities such as digital programme design and development, marketing and student recruitment, supports RCSI’s Postgraduate Schools and internal partners in reaching new and expanding audiences and markets, while developing meaningful and impactful industry relationships.

The digital learning team collaborates with schools and their academic teams to deliver a differentiated and distinctive learning and user experience, while the programme management team supports collaboration across postgraduate schools to optimise the student experience and ensure a consistent student journey.

In support of the University’s objective to offer an expanded portfolio to professionals working in or in association with healthcare, RCSI Online has also been working with schools to extend the suite of Continuous Education courses available. Industry experts lead this growing portfolio of short courses focused on digital health, healthcare leadership and management, sustainable health, just culture and more.

Cini Chacko, Sharon Boyle and Divya Steephen celebrate their graduation from the MSc in Healthcare Management at their conferring ceremony in November.

Professor

Ciaran O’Boyle Director of Centre for Positive Health Sciences

Centre for Positive Health Sciences

The Centre for Positive Health Sciences (CPHS) is dedicated to advancing health and well-being through innovative education and research. Aligned with the RCSI Strategy 2023-2027, Innovating for a Healthier Future, our efforts focus on fostering student success, enhancing educational experiences, and contributing to global health improvements.

Major Developments and Highlights

Introduction to Lifestyle Medicine

This new online module provides participants with a comprehensive overview of the six pillars of Lifestyle Medicine, offering best-practice guidelines and recommendations from highly-regarded organisations, including the World Health Organization. Participants will gain essential knowledge and skills that pave the way for further academic and professional growth, particularly for those interested in pursuing the MSc in Positive Health Coaching.

Professional Diploma in Leading Workplace Health and Well-being

This programme prepares scholars to become leaders in promoting health and well-being within organisational settings and equips them with the expertise to implement effective health strategies and foster a positive, productive work environment.

International Women’s Day webinar

CPHS hosted a webinar titled ‘Inspiring Inclusion: Empowering Women in Leadership Roles at Work’, with 1,097 registrants.

Speakers Dr Mary Collins, Dr Jummy Okoya, Dr Una Kennedy and Professor Christian van Nieuwerburgh discussed strategies for advancing women in leadership positions and fostering inclusive workplaces.

Launch of the 2026 ECPP Conference

CPHS will host the European Conference on Positive Psychology in 2026. The conference theme, ‘Body Meets Mind: Positive Psychology and Health for Everyone’, will explore the intersection of psychology, biology, physiology and health behaviours.

TedX talk

Dr Trudy Meehan’s talk at TedX ATU in Donegal highlighted the transformative power of storytelling in overcoming adversity. This platform allowed CPHS to share valuable insights on narrative practice and mental health with a global audience.

Research

New Maternal Well-being Programme Coinciding with Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week, Dr Roisin O’Donovan launched a programme to support expectant and new mothers. This initiative provides resources, support services and educational materials aimed at improving maternal mental health.

Research Summer School

The Centre took on a number of summer students to develop core skills in scientific writing, presentation, data management, statistics, ethics and research. Participating students undertake an eight-week project, which can be lab, desk or ward-based, and are supervised by RCSI principal investigators. The aim is to immerse students in a world-class research experience that will benefit their professional development.

Professional Development and Scholarships

National Workplace Well-being Day

CPHS participated in a webinar on workplace health, focusing on grief support, in collaboration with the Irish Hospice Foundation. This event underscored our commitment to employee wellness and was part of our recognition as one of the Leading in Wellbeing Top 100 Companies 2024.

Women in Leadership Scholarship

In partnership with the 30% Club, we offered fully funded scholarships for the MSc in Positive Health Coaching and the Professional Diploma in Positive Health. This initiative aims to empower aspiring female leaders in the field of positive health sciences.

Engagement and outreach

Under the guidance of Miriam Holden, our social media presence has grown significantly, enhancing our outreach and engagement. The Centre aims to provide staff, students, alumni and the public with free research-based information and has developed the CPHS website to enhance these resources over the past year.

This programme equips them with the expertise to implement effective health strategies and foster a positive, productive work environment.

Professor Jan Illing

Professor of Health Professions Education, Director of the Health Professions Education Centre and Interim Chair of RCSI SIM Centre for Simulation Education and Research

Health Professions Education Centre

RCSI’s Health Professions Education Centre (HPEC) provides healthcare professionals with a wide range of teaching, learning and educational research opportunities.

In 2024, HPEC marked its first decade and implemented the third year of its 2021-2026 Strategy. The overall aim of the strategy is to strive for educational excellence, improve educational rankings and become an international leader in health professional education. Recently, health professions education publications were identified as one of the largest clusters at RCSI, underscoring the University’s long-term commitment to excellence in education.

This year HPEC hosted two conferences: the Irish Doctoral Education Academy and the Irish Network for Healthcare Educators. HPEC publications have risen to 430 in the last five years, and the @RCSI_ Educate X profile has grown to more than 1,500 followers. HPEC staff have represented RCSI at a range of national and international conferences and organisations.

In the past year, the HPEC Postgraduate Diploma in Health Professions Education expanded to 60 places, including 20 external fee-paying places. A new online course called ‘Essential Skills in Health Professions Education’, was introduced, offering just-in-time training for new educators. HPEC also developed a virtual patients’ platform to support EDI training and staff training in physiotherapy and the Tissue Engineering Research Group (TERG). HPEC staff contributed to resilience training, acted as personal tutors and led the International Citizenship Awards Programme. The HPEC Moodle site was redesigned, improving access particularly to the weekly Educational Hub seminars, now numbering over 80. Education and research consultancies continue to increase, with more than 80 requests in the last year.

Health professions education publications were identified as one of the largest clusters at RCSI, underscoring the University’s long-term commitment to excellence in education.

HPEC hosted the Education Innovation Award at the International Education Forum (IEF), with Professor Kyoko Nomura from Akita University Japan and Professor Jenifer Lindley from Monash University Australia joining the assessment panel. Support was provided for RCSI Online via a symposium in Dubai, and teaching was delivered in Bahrain. HPEC set up the AI in Education Working Group, a Subcommittee of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee, to explore the impact of AI. HPEC has re-established an Interprofessional Learning Leadership Group with representation from all health professions and campuses to update and implement the Interprofessional Learning Strategy.

Multiple educational research projects are underway via PhDs and evaluations of our curricula. We also have two ERASMUS projects - one focused on interprofessional working and the other on artificial intelligence.

Professor Hannah McGee, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs pictured with Ali-Rose Sisk, Lecturer in Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, RCSI Bahrain, who was named winner of the Health Professions Education Centre’s Teaching Innovation Award at the 2024 International Education Forum.

RCSI SIM Centre for Simulation Education and Research

The RCSI SIM Centre for Simulation Education and Research innovates through world-class simulationbased experiential education and research to prepare graduates for future clinical practice. Simulation-based learning is a fundamental approach at RCSI, enabling us to educate clinicians for modern team-based healthcare.

Our world-class facilities reflect our institutional commitment to healthcare simulation, preparing learners to provide outstanding and compassionate patient care. In 2023-2024, RCSI SIM delivered key elements of its five-year strategic plan by providing transformative learning experiences and leading impactful healthcare simulation research, scholarship and innovation.

In 2023-2024, RCSI SIM supported over 160,000 hours of individual student learning activities with thousands of students, encompassing a broad range of learners, from undergraduate training to continuing professional development (CPD) courses and postgraduate programmes. We are proud to make significant contributions that foster student engagement, striving for studentcentredness and self-directed skills practice. Timely feedback and debriefing form a key pillar of our approach. Peer learning opportunities enhance social-emotional engagement and foster a sense of connectedness among our students.

Our simulated patient (SP) programme continues to evolve from strength to strength. We support an ever-increasing pool of trained SPs who enhance student learning by providing real opportunities to engage and interact with ‘patients’. Given its strategic importance, in 2023 we established a new academic role in RCSI SIM and recruited a lecturer in simulation with a specific focus on the impact and development of our SP programme.

Our upward trajectory in research excellence continues, with active grants from Enterprise Ireland (Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund), the Movember Foundation, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, the Irish Research Council and the Medical Protection Society Foundation. This funding has supported cutting-edge educational research efforts. Moreover, our simulation staff at 26 York Street have contributed to innovative simulation model development, augmenting both our educational offering and our scholarly output.

Professor Denis Harkin Chair of Medical Professionalism and Director of the Centre for Professionalism in Medicine and Health Sciences

Centre for Professionalism in Medicine and Health Sciences

Since its establishment in 2022, the RCSI Centre for Professionalism in Medicine and Health Sciences has continued with its vision to provide global leadership in medical professionalism, achieve excellence in patient care and experience, care for those who care, and promote a healthier society through innovation in research, education and practice.

This year, we delivered the fourth RCSI Medical Professionalism Annual Conference, titled ‘Professionalism: Raising Concerns’ which attracted over 870 registrations from 40 countries. Keynote addresses were given by Sir Robert Francis KC KBE (Mid Staffordshire Inquiry and Infected Blood Inquiry), Professor Russell Mannion (Raising Concerns, University of Birmingham), Professor Carrie Newlands (Working Party on Sexual Misconduct in University of Surrey School of Medicine), Dr Suzanne Crowe (President of the Irish Medical Council) and Dr Ravi Jayaram (Lucy Letby Inquiry).

Our thriving research group has particular strengths in digital professionalism, digital consent, resilience training and team-based learning. We were awarded four RCSI StAR MD research fellowships (VVEIN study, SCAR study, APPEARR study and EVeNTS study) and a HEA North-South Research Programme Grant to support the cross-border PROfessionalism in Partnership for Education Research (PROPER) study. We published 17 peer-reviewed manuscripts over the last academic year.

We continue to collaborate with RCSI Educate to deliver impact and promote engagement around medical professionalism. We recorded the second RCSI Professionalism podcast series, Professionalism Matters, and will publish the third series in autumn 2024.

We are in the advanced stages of developing a Postgraduate Diploma in Professionalism, which we aim to launch in 2025.

Student life

The Student Services Office (SSO) supports students in balancing academic and extracurricular activities, fostering student engagement and enhancing all aspects of the student experience.

Orientation

We welcomed over 600 students during this year’s undergraduate Orientation Programme. The programme followed a new format and was delivered over two weeks, creating a more fluid start for the new intake.

Students’ Union

Led by Connor Lenihan, the Students’ Union (SU) introduced several new initiatives to the existing calendar of events and activities.

Winter Wonderland

Kicking off the December 2023 festive season, the SU and various clubs and societies hosted festive booths on campus.

College Ball

In March 2024, the SU College Ball had a ‘Cirque du Soleil’ theme, brought to life by jugglers, acrobats and stilt-walkers.

Cultural Diversity Month

Students showcased their rich cultural heritage with events including the Gourmet Society’s International Food Night, the SU Regional Games and Global Village.

Student Choice Awards

The SU hosted the Student Choice Awards in April 2024. The winners were: Molly Fitzgerald (Captain of the Year), Ladies’ Rugby (Sports Club of the Year), Walid Nabilsi (Sportsman of the Year), Christianne Low (Sportswoman of the Year), Teddy Bear Hospital (Event of the Year), Ettaeyo Ita (Fresher of the Year), Temitayo Olabamiji (Societies Person of the Year), Paediatric Society (Society of the Year) and Dance Society (Most Improved Society).

Learning Communities

The Learning Communities hosted a number of events throughout the year, including movie nights, games nights and social gatherings.

The Student Leadership Development Programme

This is the fourth year of the programme, co-designed by RCSI staff and students, with 89 students receiving certification and badges of completion, to support them in undertaking student leadership roles.

Students celebrated their cultural heritage at the Global Village event that took place in March a part of Cultural Diversity Month.

Student Special Interest Group

This year also saw the SSO pilot the Student Special Interest Group initiative, with The Dickson-Colles Anatomy Interest Group exploring London’s Hunterian Museum.

Accommodation

Bed capacity was significantly increased and a ‘hand-on plan’ introduced to encourage students moving out of private rented accommodation to engage with their landlords and ensure these beds are taken up by fellow students.

Financial Support

The SSO remains dedicated to supporting students facing financial difficulties through the HEA Student Assistance Fund and the RCSI Alumni Hardship Fund.

Clubs and Societies

With 36 Clubs and 52 Societies, student life at RCSI is thriving. This year saw two new societies - ATT (Advanced Therapeutic Technologies) Society and GP Society.

RCSI’s Sports Clubs, open to all students regardless of competency level, give students the opportunity to stay fit and active. Achievements this year include:

Sports and Clubs

- Eoghan Daly (1st Pharmacy) represented RCSI at the GAA International Collegiate Handball Games where he brought home gold.

- Aoife Hanrahan set a new national record for women’s kayaking. Aoife will be wearing the Irish bib for the 2024 season.

- Emer Corri (Class of 2024), competed with the Women’s Irish Rugby team in Dubai claiming the Women’s XV title. She was called up to take on Italy in the Women’s Six Nations and is on the Leinster first team for the 2024 season.

Rugby

- The annual rugby clash between RCSI and Les Petites Cochons is a tradition since 1995 alternating between Dublin and Paris. This year, RCSI’s first women’s team, led by Molly Fitzgerald, joined the men’s team, captained by Luke McAuley. Despite their defeat, both teams displayed determination and skill. The new trophy honours the late Professors Gilbert Béréziat and Alan Johnson.

Boston Marathon

- At the 128th Boston Marathon for the 25th year, RCSI students demonstrated their dedication, endurance and spirit. More than 250 students have now represented RCSI at this event.

Basketball

- RCSI were winners of the Dublin Men’s Basketball Cup Championship.

Societies

Teddy Bear Hospital

The 10th Annual Paediatric Society Teddy Bear Hospital welcomed over 600 children and their teddies. A team of 270 student volunteers engaged children in activities highlighting the significance of health and well-being.

Food Night

The Gourmet Society’s Annual International Food Night invited students to taste an array of global dishes prepared by their peers.

Second Annual Womxn’s Wellness Symposium

The RCSI Association of Women Surgeons, Health & Well-being Society and Ob/Gyn Society honoured International Women’s Day with their second annual Womxn’s Wellness Symposium featuring online sessions, in-person workshops, exhibitions and a keynote talk from the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre.

Societies, BICS National Awards

RCSI participated in the Board of Irish College Societies (BICS) National Awards with nominees in 13 categories and 25 student representatives attending the awards.

Dance Intervarsity

Dance Society’s 53-strong team competed at the Dance Intervarsities hosted by DCU winning four awards: Best Choreography (Contemporary), Best Individual and Best Choreography (1st and 2nd place).

RCSI Gym

RCSI Gym attendance increased by 12% to 67,314 visits, with social group exercises such as fitness classes and group personal training increasing by 38%. Upgrades to the Gym were driven by user feedback, and the Gym team continues to support initiatives promoting an active lifestyle, including encouraging almost 100 students and staff cross the line in the Wicklow Half Marathon and 10k after a 12-week programme, which began in January 2024.

Team RCSI at the 128th Boston Marathon.

We are developing a treatment for osteoporotic vertebral fractures, a common and debilitating condition. Our vision is to restore spinal health, enabling patients to live normal, healthy lives.

Dr Ciara Murphy, Lecturer and Principal Investigator, RCSI Tissue Engineering Research Group, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, who was the recipient of a European Research Council Consolidator Grant in 2023

21,636

Altmetric mentions in 2023

Principal Investigators

159 publications with international collaboration 2019-2023

59% publications in top quartile by CiteScore 2019-2023 32%

Research commercialisation funding in 2023 €4.6m €1.9m

industry funding for research in 2023

Leading Impactful Research

Professor Fergal O’Brien Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation

RCSI’s focus on translational and patient-centred research, in collaboration with clinical and industrial partners, has enabled our researchers to lead impactful studies that address significant health challenges both nationally and internationally.

I am delighted to look back on another exceptional year for research at RCSI, marked by achievements in publications, grant funding, doctoral graduations and innovation activity. The Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) continues to provide dedicated support to RCSI researchers, enabling world-class translational, clinical and patient-centred studies that can be rapidly translated into clinical practice. The year 2023 was our most successful ever for external funding, with more than €50m in new grant awards. Of particular significance was the €23.2m (including indirect costs) from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) to support Phase II of the RCSI-led FutureNeuro Research Centre. I would like to congratulate the Centre’s Director Professor David Henshall and the rest of the team on this incredible achievement that will see FutureNeuro grow from strength to strength.

This year, we have exceeded all Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI) innovation targets, deepened our commitment to Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in research, and continued to enhance undergraduate student research opportunities such as electives, Research Summer School, the Student Innovation Challenge and the Student Choice Health Care Innovation module. We are in the final stages of the detailed design of the research facilities in the new 118 St Stephen’s Green building, which will include an exciting new public engagement space to showcase our research to the public, patients and other stakeholders.

RCSI Strategy 2023-2027

As we begin to implement our new strategy 2023-2027, Innovating for a Healthier Future, we will focus on promoting research excellence in seven key areas: Biomaterials, Medical Devices and Pharmaceutical Sciences; Cancer; Neurological and Psychiatric Disorders; Population Health and Health Services; Surgical Science and Practice; Vascular Biology and Cardiology; and Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care. These research clusters showcase RCSI’s strengths and internationally recognised expertise, while allowing us to foster new collaborations and growth.

In addition, we will look to grow and develop trans-cluster research themes in Genomics and Personalised Medicine, Digital Medicine and Healthcare Data, and Infection, Immunity and Inflammation.

We will strengthen our clinical and translational infrastructure to meet new challenges and keep RCSI at the forefront of an extremely competitive research environment. We are expanding our research capability, capacity and impact through collaboration with industry, charities, funding bodies, healthcare providers and other universities. The actions from the new strategy will guide us in improving RCSI’s reputation for research excellence, impact and sustainability.

Research highlights

Researchers at RCSI published a total of 1,637 PubMed-indexed articles in 2023, communicating research from a broad range of health science disciplines. Between 2019 to 2023, RCSI published 7,300 Scopus-indexed articles which generated more than 123,000 citations. This high level of research outputs and citation impact is a major driver of RCSI’s ranking of number 5 globally for SDG3 and our research on health and well-being score ranked highest in Ireland in the Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings 2024. This success is boosted by RCSI Discover, the Communications team’s strategic campaign, which helps amplify the impact of our publications.

Below is a selection of articles published in high-impact journals during the annual reporting period (July 2023-June 2024), where the senior author was an RCSI staff member:

Augmentation therapy for patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin shown to be effective

A study led by Professor Gerry McElvaney (Department of Medicine), published in the American Journal of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine, showed that boosting levels of alpha-1 antitrypsin significantly improves survival rates for patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). The research, which examined health data from 615 patients over ten years, indicates that augmentation therapy provides a clear survival benefit, particularly in countries where the therapy is reimbursed.

Professor Tor Hervig, IBTS, Dr Ingmar Schoen, RCSI, Dr Allison Waters, IBTS and Professor James O’Donnell, RCSI at the launch of a partnership between researchers at RCSI and the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) that aims to make blood products for transfusions more available and more useful for patients.

Changes in our DNA implicated in increased risk of developing epilepsy

The largest genetic study of its kind, coordinated by the International League Against Epilepsy involving Professor Gianpiero Cavalleri (School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences (PBS) and FutureNeuro), discovered specific changes in DNA that increase the risk of developing epilepsy. The research, published in Nature Genetics, greatly advances our knowledge of why epilepsy develops and may inform the development of new treatments for the condition.

Discovery of gene implicated in breast cancer metastasis Research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute and led by Professor Leonie Young (Department of Surgery) and Dr Damir Varešlija (PBS), identified a gene called RET as a crucial factor in the spread of breast cancer to the brain. This research, in collaboration with clinicians at the RCSI Beaumont Cancer Centre, suggests that targeting RET could lead to new treatments for patients with breast cancer that has spread to the brain.

Researchers develop biomaterial that reduces bacterial infection and speeds up bone healing

Professor Fergal O’Brien (Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, AMBER and Tissue Engineering Research Group) and researchers at the SFI Advanced Materials and Bioengineering Research Centre (AMBER) developed a new surgical implant that has the potential to transform the treatment of complex bone infections. The research was published in Advanced Materials

Childhood mental health problems affect quality of life for young adults

Research led by Professor Mary Cannon (Department of Psychiatry) showed that children with mental health issues are more likely to have poor mental and physical health in their late teens and early 20s, and are at greater risk of social isolation, low educational attainment, financial difficulties and heavy substance use. The findings point to the need for better screening and treatment of mental health problems in childhood and adolescence. This work was published in JAMA Network Open

New benefits of weight loss for type 2 diabetes

A study led by Professor Edward Gregg (School of Population Health) and published in Diabetologia, showed that people with type 2 diabetes who underwent weight-loss programmes leading to remission also had a 40% lower rate of cardiovascular disease and a 33% lower rate of chronic kidney disease. The research highlights the long-term health benefits of weight loss and diabetes remission.

Age when tested is critical for accurate blood clotting disease diagnosis

A study led by Professor James O’Donnell (PBS) revealed that the age at which individuals are tested for von Willebrand disease (VWD) significantly affects their diagnosis. VWD is the most common inherited bleeding disorder that prevents blood from clotting properly and is caused by reduced levels of a protein that helps with clotting, called von Willebrand factor. This study could be key to addressing current challenges around the misdiagnosis and treatment of patients. The results were published in Blood

Innovation

activity

In 2023, the growth in RCSI’s knowledge transfer performance exceeded the targets independently set by Knowledge Transfer Ireland (KTI). This success is testament to RCSI’s world-class research expertise and focus on commercial application, greatly assisted by the Innovation team in the ORI, led by Dr Aoife Gallagher. The KTI and Enterprise Ireland (EI)-funded KT Boost Programme, a €1.2m award to support innovation activity and the funding of a dedicated spin-out development manager (Dr Conor MacCormack), commenced in 2024. The €7m DigiBio Programme, led by RCSI and Dundalk Institute of Technology with Trinity, DCU and Tyndall National Institute as collaborators, also commenced in 2024. Supported by the Southern Regional Assembly and EI, the DigiBio Fellowship will foster the next generation of digital health Innovators and entrepreneurs in Ireland and will support the creation of spin-out companies. Industry engagement, as measured by number of agreements, exceeded targets by 30%, demonstrating the quality of our applied research portfolio and industry support team in the ORI, led by Dr Seamus Browne.

Spin-out companies

RCSI has approved the formation of six new spin-out companies since 2021 and in 2023 was ranked second for spin-out company formation among universities in Ireland (normalised against research expenditure). Our most recent spin-out company is Pumpinheart, led by Dr Aamir Hameed (Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine). Pumpinheart is developing a system to treat heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

PhD students Mohannad Dabbour, Physiology and Medical Physics and Hannah Nyarko, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences pictured at Research Day 2024.

Isaac Byrne, (aged 2) who has cystic fibrosis, pictured with Paul McNally, Associate Professor of Paediatrics at RCSI and Consultant in Respiratory Medicine at Children’s Health Ireland at the launch of ENHANCE, a €5.6M study that will work with babies and children in Ireland and the UK over the five years to build a better understanding of cystic fibrosis.

Industry engagement

The total value of industry income in 2023 was €4.6m. This year, RCSI researcher engagement with indigenous SME and FDI multinational companies was increased further through projects funded by the EI Innovation Partnership programme. To date, there have been three successful applications with a total project value of €1.3m. Funded projects include Professor Helena Kelly (PBS) and GE Healthcare Ireland; Professor Oran Kennedy (TERG) and Ashland Specialities Ireland; and Professor Dermot Cox (PBS) and Grifols Ireland. Additionally, two more Innovation Partnership applications are currently in development with the School of Physiotherapy and the Centre for Positive Health Sciences.

Funding awards

RCSI continued to have great success in securing research funding from a wide range of national and international funding bodies. The total value of external funding awarded to RCSI for 2023 was €50.9m.

Examples of significant RCSI-led awards in the last 12 months include:

~ Professor David Cotter; VISTA: Vision To Action for Mental Health Policy. HRB Applied Programme Grants (APRO): €2.5m

~ Dr Michelle Flood; Sjögren’s - Beyond Dry Eye: Co-Creation of Integrated Care Journeys for Patients and Education for Healthcare Professionals. HRB Applied Programme Grants (APRO): €2.5m

The DigiBio Fellowship will foster the next generation of digital health Innovators and entrepreneurs in Ireland.

~ Dr Frank Moriarty; Developing Innovative Analytical Methods for research ON Deprescribing (DIAMOND). Wellcome Trust Career Development Award: €2.4m

~ Professor Paul McNally; ENHANCE - Establishing Natural History in an Advanced New CF Care Era. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Clinical Research Award: €2.1m

~ Dr Ciara Murphy; RESTORE: Advanced Injectable Therapeutic Biomaterial Platforms for Osteoporotic Vertebral Bone Repair. ERC Consolidator: €2m

~ Dr Jennifer Ryan; ELEVATE Programme for Prediction, Early Detection and Intervention in Cerebral Palsy. SFI Strategic Partnership Programme: €1.7m

~ Dr Jennifer Ryan; Adult Cerebral Palsy Research and Education Centre at RCSI. Cerebral Palsy Foundation: €1.5m Professor

~ Andreas Heise; POLINA. European Innovation Council Pathfinder: €1.1m.

Notable awards and honours

Royal Irish Academy (RIA)

Professor David Henshall, Professor of Molecular Physiology and Neuroscience and Director of the SFI FutureNeuro Research Centre, has been elected as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA).

European Vaccine Initiative

Professor Sam McConkey, Head of the Department of International Health and Tropical Medicine, has been appointed Chair of the European Vaccine Initiative. This is a leading European non-profit partnership that supports global efforts to develop effective and affordable vaccines against diseases of poverty and emerging infectious diseases.

SFI Commercialisation Award

Professor Steve Kerrigan won the SFI Commercialisation Award 2023. The award recognises Professor Kerrigan’s entrepreneurial and innovation leadership achievement as a founder of RCSI spin-out Inthelia Therapeutics, which aims to develop personalised therapeutic approaches to treat patients with sepsis.

Research Day 2024 and Vice Chancellor Innovation Awards

The keynote John J. Ryan Lecture at this year’s Research Day, ‘Stem Cells: Coping with Stress and Learning from Their Experiences’, was delivered by Professor Elaine Fuchs from Howard Hughes Medical Institute, The Rockefeller University. Thanks to the organising committee, co-ordinator Dr Christopher Byrne (ORI), and academic co-ordinator Professor Tríona Ní Chonghaile (Department of Physiology and Medical Physics).

The RCSI Vice Chancellor Innovation Awards, recognising the outstanding contribution of RCSI researchers to research commercialisation and industry engagement, were presented by Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Professor Fergal O’Brien, representing Vice Chancellor Professor Cathal Kelly. The award winners for Commercialisation, Industry Engagement and Clinical Engagement were Professor Helena Kelly (PBS), founder of RCSI spin-out company OncoLize; Dr Marco Monopoli (Department of Chemistry) for his partnership with Ludger and CSL Vifor; and Professor James O’Donnell (PBS) for his collaboration with Takeda.

Dr Aamir Hameed, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine, Co-Founder of Pumpinheart Ltd

My research is centred on developing innovative solutions for advanced-stage heart failure, a condition that affects millions of patients worldwide and often leaves them with limited treatment options.

In 2022, I co-founded Pumpinheart Ltd, an RCSI spin-out company, and assumed the role of Chief Medical Officer, working alongside Chief Executive Officer, Donald Hickey. Pumpinheart is dedicated to advancing the development of our miniature, implantable heart pump, designed to support the failing heart by reducing the left atrial pressure when the heart is relaxing, and the chambers are refilling with blood.

The concept for this revolutionary technology originated in my research group, where we focused on creating a discreet yet powerful device that can be implanted with minimal invasiveness. The pump operates by synchronising with the heart’s natural rhythm, providing the necessary support to enhance cardiac output and improve patient outcomes. This innovative approach has the potential to transform the standard of care for patients with a form of heart failure known as diastolic heart failure or Heart Failure with preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF).

RCSI’s ORI has been instrumental in the commercial development of this technology. With their support, the Intellectual Property was protected by patent filing and a successful funding application was made to Enterprise Ireland to enable key proof of concept experiments. On spinning-out, a license was negotiated with RCSI ORI and we secured a €851,533 seed funding round, which will drive the critical next steps in our pre-clinical and clinical development programmes.

Our team at Pumpinheart is working closely with partners across Europe to validate the safety and efficacy of the device in preclinical models. We are hopeful that within the next few years, this technology will progress to clinical trials, offering a new lifeline to patients with few remaining options. Our goal is to provide a life-changing solution that not only improves survival rates but also enhances the quality of life for those living with heart failure.

We have normalised conversations about menopause and perimenopause and provided policies and supports to ensure that anyone at RCSI can ask for, and access, the support that they need so they can continue to flourish at work.

Catriona Campbell, Head of Staff Learning and Development

staff endorsed RCSI as their employer of choice 90%

Company of the Year at the National Diversity and Inclusion Awards #1

investment in education and research facilities at Connolly Hospital €32m

virtual reality surgical training space planned for 118 St Stephen’s Green 50m2

4,000

engagements with new alumni and Fellows and Members portal

300

surveys by Quality Enhancement Office

Creating Foundations for Sustainable Impact

Barry Holmes Director of Human Resources

Human Resources

As we look to the future, we are focused on balancing the benefits of remote and on-campus working, fostering a culture of social connection and belonging among our diverse community, and leveraging technology to streamline tasks, enhance collaboration and support learning and development. However, we are explicit in our desire to encourage as much on-site presence as possible to cultivate a vibrant campus.

Our four key aims for the RCSI Strategy 2023-2027, Innovating for a Healthier Future, include:

1. Attract and retain diverse and talented staff

~ We have embraced hybrid working models, preserving the campus as an active centre for social engagement, education and teamwork.

~ We have adopted talent management and succession planning strategies that attract, retain and develop our staff, ensuring continuity of key roles and functions.

2. Foster a culture of excellence and innovation

~ We have diligently gathered feedback to monitor staff sentiment, experience and well-being. Key findings show that 90% of employees endorse RCSI as their employer of choice, affirming our dedication to fostering a positive work environment.

3. Enable staff development and career progression

~ We deliver comprehensive learning and development programmes, including online courses, workshops, webinars, coaching, 360-degree feedback, emotional intelligence profiling and peer learning.

4. Promote employee well-being and engagement

~ We have established peer-to-peer appreciation programmes to promote a culture of excellence, employee engagement and well-being.

~ To further advance HR technology, we have introduced the ‘HR Hub’, which aims to streamline HR-related queries and improve employee satisfaction by making HR services more efficient and accessible.

Key achievements in creating foundations for sustainable impact include:

~ The Sunday Times ranked RCSI as a top employer in their ‘Best Places to Work Ireland 2024 - Big Organisation’ list.

~ We implemented a market-leading menopause policy and created Menopause Champions.

~ Our dedication to inclusivity and equality has been recognised with the renewal of RCSI’s Athena Swan Bronze Award.

~ All career platforms and job postings highlight the RCSI Race Equality Action Plan.

~ Our new Parents’ Platform assists staff with all stages of parenthood.

~ Our HR Excellence in Research Award recognised RCSI as a leading research institution in Europe.

The Sunday Times ranked RCSI as a top employer in their ‘Best Places to Work Ireland 2024 - Big Organisation’ list.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

The RCSI Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy 2024-2027 was launched in February 2024, and RCSI’s commitment to EDI was reaffirmed in the RCSI Institutional Strategy. By embedding EDI in all we do, we evolve from a team of four to a movement of hundreds.

Awards and external engagement

In August 2023, RCSI’s Institutional Athena Swan Bronze Award was successfully renewed. The application was described by the panel as “an exemplar of good practice”. In April 2024, the Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine became the first RCSI department to renew its Bronze Award, in recognition of commitment to progressing gender equality and increasing wider diversity and representation.

In February 2024, RCSI was named Company of the Year at the National Diversity and Inclusion Awards and was shortlisted for the Advancing Race/Ethnicity Equality Award.

In May 2024, the EDI Unit and colleagues presented at the Equitas Conference in Technological University of the Shannon.

Awareness raising

In 2023-2024, we launched a new EDI Mandatory Staff Training and a Bystander Intervention Training Programme for students and staff. Bystander Intervention empowers people to safely step in, speak up and support others, and the training features social and medical scenarios.

Our International Men’s Day event included football and a powerful healthcare talk. For International Women’s Day, we held

a panel on ‘Inspiring Inclusion in Education and Healthcare’. The VisABILITY Forum invited Dr Mary Doherty to speak on Neurodiversity in Medicine. The Race Equality Forum hosted an event with Professor Dorothy Roberts during her visit to receive an Honorary Doctorate from RCSI.

Student engagement

In September 2023, incoming students received an introduction to EDI and consent training. A highlight of the successful student Sexual Health and Well-being week, run by the ESP Forum in collaboration with the Health and Well-being Society and the Pride Society, was the student-led event on The Female Orgasm. The EDI Unit collaborated with the Students’ Union on the Bystander Intervention student launch, and students presented at all EDI Committee meetings in 2023-2024. In June 2024, members of the staff Pride Network and the student Pride Society marched in the Dublin Pride Parade.

Speak Out

Speak Out, the online report and support tool for the Higher Education Sector, provides a platform to safely report incidences of misconduct, including cyberbullying, discrimination, sexual harassment and coercive control. RCSI’s Speak Out resource directs users to support services through RCSI and on a national basis. The Speak Out National Report 2021-2022 was published in December 2023, with the RCSI report released earlier this year.

By embedding EDI in all we do, we evolve from a team of four to a movement of hundreds.

The EDI Unit, pictured with colleagues from HR, at the Athena Swan Ireland awards in November where they accepted RCSI’s renewed Institutional Bronze Award.

Connolly Education and Research Centre

The €32m RCSI Connolly Education and Research Centre (ERC) represents the largest-ever capital investment in education and research facilities at Connolly Hospital.

This transformational project will significantly enhance the student experience at the Connolly Hospital site and provides new state-of-the-art simulation and research facilities, as well as new hospital laboratories for the HSE. The new Centre, which will be RCSI’s second major ERC on a hospital campus, is testament to RCSI’s vision to further enhance the reputation and capacity of Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown as a regional centre of excellence.

The new RCSI Connolly ERC encompasses more than 4,100 m2 of internal area and has been designed to accommodate a large, accessible public foyer on the ground floor with a café and recreation space, a variety of new teaching spaces, student amenity space, a fitness suite and a clinical research suite and simulation centre.

The building also accommodates new pathology laboratories, which will replace the existing on-site facilities, significantly enhancing clinical infrastructure in the hospital. Landscaped grounds and a large outdoor terrace on the first floor, provide plentiful external recreation space, which is often at a premium on clinical sites. The building will achieve the highest energy rating and ‘LEED Gold’ certification for sustainability in construction.

The project, which broke ground in December 2021, has overcome many challenges, including numerous external factors and the myriad constraints associated with major construction within an acute clinical environment. Throughout this period, the RCSI Estate and Support Services Department led the project, working in closely with colleagues across RCSI, HSE Estates and Connolly Hospital to ensure that with each successive milestone, all stakeholders have been part of the journey. This has been a hugely successful partnership, culminating in a world-class facility that will benefit RCSI and the wider Irish health system for many years to come.

The RCSI Connolly ERC is set to open its doors to students and staff in September 2024.

This has been a hugely successful partnership, culminating in a world-class facility that will benefit RCSI and the wider Irish health system

Architectural rendering of the Education and Research Centre at Connolly Hospital, due to open in September 2024.

Michael McGrail Director of Corporate Strategy

Campus Development - 118 St Stephen’s Green

RCSI’s campus development at 118 St Stephen’s Green is well underway, with Bennett Construction Ltd as the contractor. The development superstructure is complete, and the façade and internal fitout will be the focus over the coming months.

The €95m expansion project at 118 St Stephen’s Green, also known as Project Connect, will enrich the student experience and provide vital infrastructure for pioneering health sciences research and innovation, as well as creating a space for local community engagement.

A key design element of Project Connect is its physical link to RCSI’s presence at 26 York Street, significantly expanding RCSI’s education space for the 3,000 students and staff who visit the campus daily for study, work and extracurricular activities. The development will be home to the new RCSI School of Population Health, the Graduate School of Healthcare Management, and a 50sqm virtual reality surgical training space for the National Surgical Training Centre. It will also introduce new concepts such

118 St Stephen’s Green will reinforce

RCSI’s historic connection with St Stephen’s Green by becoming the new ‘front door’ of the campus.

as student community spaces, small group teaching spaces and flexible flat-floor teaching facilities.

The development will enhance RCSI’s research and innovation activities, providing up to three floors of state-of-the-art laboratories, write-up areas and support facilities for existing and new research programmes and initiatives.

118 St Stephen’s Green will reinforce RCSI’s historic connection with St Stephen’s Green by becoming the new ‘front door’ of the campus. It will include a new Public Engagement Space for events and exhibitions, aligning with RCSI’s goal of enabling people to live long, healthy lives.

118 St Stephen’s Green will open its doors to students and staff at the start of the 2025/2026 academic year.

Architectural rendering of 118 St Stephen’s Green which is scheduled to open for the 2025/2026 academic year.

Justin Ralph Chief Technology Officer

Information Technology

The Information Technology (IT) Department at RCSI is committed to delivering a transformative education and learning experience for students, driving ongoing investments in digital solutions across various areas, including assessment, feedback and clinical placements.

The introduction of real-time assessment and clinical placement tools will revolutionise the healthcare education landscape, significantly enhancing the experiences of clinicians, students and staff. These cutting-edge tools will greatly improve functionality and usability, meeting the needs of our community and enriching their educational journey.

The new alumni and Fellows and Members portal was launched in May 2024. Since inception, the portal has had over 4,000 users log in to engage with various features, including submitting requests and applications, paying fees to maintain benefits and status, accessing academic resources, updating personal data and communication preferences, donating securely online and participating in the volunteering programme. The new portal was developed in conjunction with the Development, Alumni Relations, Fellows and Members Team.

The institution-wide adoption of MS Teams, SharePoint collaboration spaces and OneDrive has facilitated the transition from legacy drives, offering numerous transformational benefits to all RCSI staff. The IT Department at RCSI is focused on continuously improving organisational efficiency through digital transformation, automation and IT service enhancements.

Our unwavering commitment is to serve the evolving needs of our students, staff, researchers and other key stakeholders through comprehensive IT services.

In recent years, RCSI Online has successfully offered several programmes, including Advanced Leadership, Leading Digital Health Transformation, Wounds and Healthcare Management. In collaboration with a number of schools in RCSI, the IT Department’s Digital Learning Team provides a wide range of continuous professional development courses. These courses span fields such as Internet of Health Things, Digital Health Technologies, Foundations of Digital Health, Personalised Healthcare, Sustainable Healthcare, Strategy, Finance, Cybersecurity, AI in Radiology, Lean QI, Clinical Leadership and Entrepreneurship, offering professionals valuable opportunities to enhance their skills and expertise.

We prioritise IT security in managing our applications and infrastructure, conducting regular cybersecurity reviews and action planning. Recognising the importance of IT security literacy, we continue to update the IT security awareness training in collaboration with HR. This training complements the extensive workshops, training sessions and support guides offered by IT throughout the year, empowering both students and staff.

To ensure our staff and students benefit from the latest system features in a secure environment, the IT Department consistently maintains and upgrades RCSI applications and infrastructure. Our unwavering commitment is to serve the evolving needs of our students, staff, researchers and other key stakeholders through comprehensive IT services.

Jennifer Cullinane Director of Finance

Finance and Governance

Established under Royal Charter in 1784, RCSI is an independent, not-for-profit, international health sciences university, postgraduate training body and research institution.

Over time, RCSI’s activities have evolved to include medical and healthcare education through undergraduate and postgraduate courses, research programmes and various community outreach activities. Having received designation as a statutory degreeawarding body in 2010, RCSI was granted university status as RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences in December 2019.

Educational programmes at RCSI are accredited by various bodies including Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and the Medical Council of Ireland (IMC). RCSI is currently ranked fifth in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024 for UNSDG Goal 3 ‘Good Health and Well-Being’.

Key activities

As an Irish registered charity, RCSI’s mission is ‘to educate, nurture and discover for the benefit of human health’. RCSI delivers on this mission through the four strategic themes of health and societal impact, education and student success, research and innovation and foundations for sustainable impact.

RCSI’s education, training and research activities span three continents, Europe, Asia and Africa.

RCSI oversees postgraduate training in surgery in Ireland and maintains close links and common training curricula with sister royal surgical colleges in England and Scotland. The RCSI faculties of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologists, Dentistry, Nursing and Midwifery, and Sports and Exercise Medicine provide oversight, education and examination in their respective disciplines. The Irish Institute of Pharmacy provides continuing professional development for pharmacists throughout Ireland.

Partnerships are key to RCSI’s activities both locally and internationally in the delivery of its activities. This encompasses collaboration with other higher education institutions through research, outreach programmes with local communities, student clinical placements including an academic partnership with the RCSI hospitals Group in Ireland, and collaboration in surgical training with the College of Surgeons of East, Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) in cooperation with Irish Aid.

As one of Ireland’s largest indigenous service exporters, RCSI makes a significant contribution annually to the Irish economy. RCSI employs more than 1,300 people in Ireland with an estimated additional 2,200 indirect jobs across the Irish economy, supported through the expenditure of staff and students.

Financial governance

As the governing body of the institution, the RCSI Council has responsibility for the College’s financial affairs. It delegates certain functions to both the Finance and Audit and Risk Committees.

Consolidated statement of income and expenditure

The organisation’s financial objective is to ensure robust financial stewardship, recognising a competitive market environment, inflationary pressures and increasing regulation.

RCSI operates primarily a self-funding model, receiving approximately 16% of revenue from public sources. In line with RCSI’s charitable remit, all surpluses generated, after funding day-to-day operations, investment in new programmes, campus infrastructure and debt servicing, are reinvested for the furtherance of RCSI’s education and research objectives. RCSI is in an investment phase, delivering campus infrastructure and portfolio diversification projects with the establishment of a School of Dentistry and postgraduate offerings.

RCSI aims to generate a small surplus annually to provide a reserve for continued strategic investment in its market offering, and a level of agility given the organisation’s independent nature.

The effective management of resources includes project prioritisation, assessment against agreed targets and proactive management of the interest rate environment. Significant capital expenditure projects are funded through an appropriate balance of debt and ring-fenced cash reserves.

RCSI is committed to responsible investment and is a signatory to the UN Principles of Responsible Investing, in line with the UN SDGs.

Review of the year to 30 September 2023

In line with approved plans and bank covenant requirements, RCSI delivered a steady financial performance during the year to 30 September 2023.

Revenue increased by 5% year on year, primarily due to growth in education, training and research programmes. The majority of revenue, at 98%, was generated from those activities that are core to RCSI’s mission, arising from undergraduate and professional postgraduate training activities and externally funded research. An additional 2% was generated by a valuable source of ancillary revenue from an investment portfolio. RCSI has student representation from over 100 nationalities, with almost half of all students and trainees attending under a sponsorship agreement or other support.

Staff and non-staff related costs increased by 8% on the prior year, reflecting the continued investment in initiatives under the RCSI strategic plan and the impact of inflationary pressures. Cost increases are managed through tight control and the evaluation of resource allocation. Procurement processes in place endeavour to deliver the most economically advantageous terms, in an ethical, fair and transparent manner, with a focus on continual improvement and sustainability.

Unrealised valuations recognised in the consolidated statement of income and expenditure amounted to €16m in the year. These include currency impacts and independent valuations of investment property and the defined pension benefit scheme, based on market conditions prevailing at the financial year end. The value of the defined benefit pension scheme, as measured under accounting standards, was a surplus of €9m, however deficit funding continues. This is despite the exit from the ten-year funding plan agreed with the Irish Pensions Board under the 2012 restructure.

Balance sheet

RCSI’s balance sheet remained strong at 30 September 2023, with net assets of just over €400m, broadly in line with the prior year. The net asset value encompasses campus infrastructure, cash reserves, small investment property revaluation reserve offset by long-term borrowings, and other liabilities.

In the year, steady financial performance and capital programme additions were offset by working capital movements and a reduction in independent valuation of investment property, most notably in the office rental market. A level of reserves are ringfenced to provide for continued investment in strategic opportunities in line with RCSI’s mission and to enable responsiveness to general market volatility, as evidenced in the recent pandemic.

RCSI has a number of investments through subsidiary structures in support of its mission. In Ireland, these include a property management services company (West Green Management Company Ltd) and a travel company (RCSI Travel DAC) to support the delivery of programmes overseas. Internationally, RCSI delivers its mission, operating a medical university in Bahrain, a joint venture with University College Dublin (RCSI-UCD Malaysia Campus) in Malaysia, and a joint PhD programme in Nanomedicine, Cancer and Neuroscience with Soochow University.

Consolidated balance sheet

Conclusion

Overall, the 2023 financial performance was delivered in line with approved plans and bank covenant requirements.

RCSI operates a proactive approach to the management of risk and the implementation of mitigation measures through an agreed risk framework. The principal risks and uncertainties facing RCSI include cyber security, market competition and inflationary pressures. RCSI is fortunate to operate in a market where the demand for healthcare education continues, but in an increasingly competitive environment.

We look forward to the next chapter for RCSI, set down in the Strategy 2023-2027, ‘Innovating for a Healthier Future’, launched in September 2023.

I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Council, external Board members, SMT colleagues, the finance team and all RCSI staff in the delivery of the RCSI mission in a financially sustainable manner, underpinned by the RCSI values of respect, collaboration, scholarship and innovation.

RCSI is committed to responsible investment and is a signatory to the UN Principles of Responsible Investing, in line with the UN SDGs.

The Quality Enhancement Office team, President, Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs pictured with the International CINNTE Review Team at the conclusion of the main review visit for QQI’s Institutional Review of RCSI in October.

Quality Enhancement Office

The RCSI Quality Enhancement Office (QEO) oversees quality assurance and enhancement activities across the institution, and this year, coordinated RCSI’s statutory Institutional Review by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).

The Institutional Review was undertaken by a panel of international experts who, in their report, recognised RCSI’s commitment to high-quality education and commended our student engagement, student supports and our work to foster inclusivity and diversity. This followed a site visit to RCSI, where students, staff and many external stakeholders met with the Review Team to share their experiences.

Further engagement with QQI included participation in research projects, submission of our Annual Quality Report and hosting our Quality Dialogue Meeting. This year, the Head of the QEO cochaired the development of a QQI Framework for Academic Misconduct Investigation and Case Management.

Data gathering to support quality improvement is a core QEO activity, with the team collecting, analysing and disseminating student and staff feedback to inform and enhance activities. Over 300 surveys were managed by the QEO during the year. The QEO gathers information from schools and departments on the actions taken in response to student feedback, and this information is shared back with learners through ‘You Said, We Did’ campaigns. This year, several staff surveys were also

undertaken to support areas including Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The QEO oversees a programme of quality reviews of schools, faculties, professional support units and overseas campuses. This year, a joint review of RUMC was undertaken with colleagues from UCD. An expert peer review group met with more than 80 stakeholders, including students, staff, clinical colleagues, external stakeholders and the Governing Board.

The QEO provides assessment quality assurance and psychometric services to RCSI and the Intercollegiate Committee for Basic Surgical Examinations (ICBSE). This year, our work within RCSI supported the development and rollout of assessments in undergraduate medicine.

Within the ICBSE, the focus has been on maintaining the standard and integrity of the MRCS exams, which are run on behalf of the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons in the UK and Ireland.

Events this year included a Quality Forum, which brought together staff with interest and expertise in quality from across RCSI, and a student event highlighting the importance of learner engagement in quality activity. Case studies outlining quality enhancement activities across the University were exhibited during the International Education Forum.

Data gathering to support quality improvement is a core QEO activity

Our CPD programmes are tailored to the specific needs of healthcare professionals and organisations, and are delivered by academic and clinical experts in an interactive manner that applies evidence based information to real-world practice

Professor Mary Rose Sweeney, Executive Vice Dean for Education, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Professor Chris Lynch Dean, Faculty of Dentistry

Faculty of Dentistry

The Faculty of Dentistry was founded in 1963 to advance the science, art and practice of dentistry by promoting education, study and research. The Faculty has approximately 6,000 Fellows, Members, Diplomates and Affiliates globally.

The Faculty offers postgraduate general dentistry and specialist fellowship examinations and provides lecture-based and hands-on courses for dentists undertaking continuing professional development (CPD) and/or structured postgraduate training.

The Faculty has longstanding specialist training collaborations with prestigious organisations overseas, including Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in Qatar, as well as colleagues in Jordan (Jordan University and Jordan University of Science and Technology), Bahrain and Ajman in the United Arab Emirates.

The Faculty continues to deliver popular online CPD lectures, which are available to our Fellows, Members, Diplomates and Affiliates in Ireland and overseas.

In October 2023, the Faculty hosted its Annual Scientific Meeting themed ‘Advances in Clinical Dentistry’.

In February 2024, the Faculty travelled to Qatar to hold an Intensive FFD Review Course for the Paediatric Dentistry Residents at HMC. During the visit to Doha, a separate two-day Paediatric Dental Conference was held, open to both Paediatric and General Dentists. Each day of the conference attracted up to 150 attendees, many of whom travelled from neighbouring countries.

In June 2024, the Faculty hosted a Joint Meeting of Dental Faculties of the four Royal Colleges of Surgeons of the UK and Ireland at RCSI. These important meetings assist the Faculties in planning for the future and help to cement the excellent working relationships that exist.

Also in June 2024, a group of senior maxillofacial surgeons from the UK visited RCSI. Led by Mr Stephen Walsh, this group visits overseas surgical centres to learn from the practices of their colleagues in other countries. During their visit to RCSI, they toured the RCSI SIM facilities and held several presentations in 26 York Street.

The Faculty continues to deliver popular online CPD lectures, which are available to our Fellows, Members, Diplomates and Affiliates in Ireland and overseas.

We look forward to the conferring ceremony in July 2024 where we will confer 556 new Fellows, Members and Diplomates and award an Honorary Fellowship of the Faculty of Dentistry to Professor Robin O’Sullivan (most recently of RCSI Bahrain) in recognition of his exceptional contributions to dentistry and dental, medical, surgical and healthcare education.

As Dean, I am very grateful for the brilliant teamwork of the Faculty Board, the administrative team and colleagues from around the world. We are also extremely grateful for the excellent support from our colleagues across RCSI.

New Fellows, Members and Diplomates of the Faculty were among those conferred at the December 2023 ceremony.

Dr Patricia Cunningham Dean, Faculty of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologists

Faculty of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologists

The Faculty of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologists is the professional and academic body for radiologists and radiation oncologists in Ireland. The Faculty’s key roles include the provision of postgraduate training and examinations in diagnostic radiology and radiation oncology and administration of the professional competence scheme (PCS) for these specialties.

During the reporting period, Faculty in-person scientific meetings continue to be well attended, with the Irish MRI Meeting (IMRIM) 2024, continuing to be provided online by popular demand. Teaching continues in a hybrid format.

The Specialist Registrar (SpR) training scheme continues to be extremely popular, and this year, we had a record number of places available, with 36 successful candidates starting the programme in July 2023.

The Faculty’s accreditation visits to our affiliated training sites continued with the St Luke’s Radiation Oncology Network Radiation Oncology inspection in November 2023, followed by visits to University Hospital Limerick and Mater Misericordiae University Hospital in May 2024. These site visits are crucial to maintaining standards at our training sites.

Interventional Radiology is still pursuing specialty recognition status with the Medical Council. The Faculty fully supports this innovation, which will hopefully succeed in elevating the standing of Interventional Radiology and securing the resources needed in this area.

It has been another challenging year for those involved in promoting Quality Improvement (QI) in Radiology. Ringfencing protected time for Radiology QI activities remains difficult, given

The Faculty remains committed to highlighting Radiology workplace issues at every forum available

the ever-increasing demands on Radiology services. We continue to convey the message that these activities should not be seen as mutually exclusive or in competition; rather, they should be viewed as complementary, where each benefits the other for the good of Radiologists and patients alike.

The Faculty remains committed to highlighting Radiology workplace issues at every forum available, including the new Radiology National Strategy, National Doctors Training and Planning, HSE Acute Hospitals and the Department of Health. It is important for the Faculty to be involved in promoting better alignment between training and workplace requirements, ensuring that training is supported and maintained at a high level of quality.

The Faculty plays a role in facilitating recruitment and retention by raising awareness of issues, including workload and working conditions, that need resolution to encourage more trainees to return to the health service. As part of this process, the Faculty has arranged for assessments of Model 3 Hospitals for trainee rotations to begin in January 2025.

Pictured at the Faculty Charity Gala 2024 in aid of Spinal Injuries Ireland in February were Fiona Bolger (CEO Spinal Injuries Ireland), Chris Corrigan, Kevin Dunne, Dr Patricia Cunningham (Dean of the Faculty of Radiologists and Radiation Oncologists) and Jack Kavanagh.

Dr Mary Boyd Dean, Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery

Established in 1974, the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery has led and advocated for the strategic development of the nursing and midwifery professions for half a century.

2023-2024 has been a very productive period, marked by the first full year of the new Executive team under the leadership of Professor Mark White. Our Faculty Board undertook significant governance work, revising the Standing Orders and establishing the Succession Planning and EDI Sub-Committees. Additionally, substantial stakeholder engagement informed our new strategic plan for 2024-2027, which will be launched later this year.

Plans are underway to mark our 50th anniversary with several events including the annual Fellows, Members and Friends Festive Event, a summer soiree, ‘Caring Voices’, a Fellows and Members dinner in the autumn and the commissioning of an artwork for the RCSI collection. We also launched our Fellows and Members PhD and Professional Scholarship Awards.

Delivering a transformative learning experience

The Overseas Aptitude Test (OAT) for General Nurse registration was completed by 3,832 applicants, and 25 for Psychiatric Nurse registration. Since 2015, more than 15,000 applicants from 59 countries have taken the OAT. A selection of novel continuous professional development (CPD) offerings, including in new areas such as executive coaching, healthcare professional well-being and deconditioning was also developed.

Our largest Fellowship and Membership cohort graduated this year, with 81 Fellows and nine Members conferred in December 2023. Four Honorary Fellows were conferred in February 2024. Leading impactful research

In February 2024, 299 participants from ten countries attended our 43rd Annual Education and Research Conference.

Our research outputs have increased, with several studies commenced and tenders won in the past year, including three major Erasmus projects in our European Centre for Excellence. The Faculty increased its peer-reviewed publications to 30 this year and successfully launched the Social Prescribing Evidence Hub in April 2024, in conjunction with partners in the HSE.

Supporting healthcare and societal well-being

We remain committed to supporting healthcare and societal well-being. In May 2024, frontline nurses from Ukraine embarked on a study week, offering an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills while providing respite from the ongoing conflict.

The recently established Global Innovation and Leadership Academy has continued working on a number of global initiatives, including an Early Career Leadership Programme, the Quality Human Rights in Mental Health Education Programme and the 25 x 25 x 25 Emergency Education Programme in conjunction with the WHO.

In May 2024, frontline nurses from Ukraine embarked on a study week, offering an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills while providing respite from the ongoing conflict.

The Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in partnership with the Centre for Nursing Development of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine hosted a Ukrainian Nurse Leader Programme in May 2024.

Dr Mick Molloy Dean, Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine (RCPI and RCSI)

Faculty

of Sports and Exercise Medicine (RCPI and RCSI)

The Faculty of Sports and Exercise Medicine (FSEM) is a joint faculty between the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) and RCSI which provides postgraduate training and continuous professional development (CPD) in sports and exercise medicine.

CPD opportunities

In 2023-2024, most CPD activities were provided online through webinars and journal clubs.

In September 2023, the Annual Scientific Conference (ASC) on ‘Challenges in Contact and Collision Sports’ took place in RCSI in collaboration with The Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists and Athletic Rehabilitation Therapy Ireland.

In March 2023, the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP)/ FSEM Musculoskeletal (MSK) Diploma was internally reviewed by ICGP and is now progressing for an autumn 2024 intake. At the next ASC on 13 September 2024, 43 ICGP/MSK students will graduate.

In April 2024, our virtual Annual Spring Symposium on ‘Athletic Hip and Groin’ was held in collaboration with the University of Galway.

Higher Specialist Training in Sports and Exercise Medicine (HST SEM)

The Faculty is addressing the recommendations from the Medical Council training programme re-accreditation report, received in May 2023, and is due to provide an update to the Medical Council in the autumn. We have engaged with other specialties to develop a four- to six-year route for SEM training in Ireland to comply with Medical Council recommendations regarding EU Directive 2005/36/EC. This will be delivered in parallel with the current two-year post-CSCT fellowship-type training programme.

A matching process of the Irish HST SEM curriculum with the UK curriculum and European UEMS ETR standards for postgraduate training in SEM is underway. Earlier this year, we appointed the first female trainee to the HST SEM programme, Dr Valerie Hayes, who enrolled in the scheme in July 2023.

Fellows

and Members

New subscription packages for Fellows and Members, introduced last year, feature a ‘benefits’ rate, which includes complimentary attendance at all CPD events and access to the British Journal of Sports Medicine online, and a ‘standard’ rate with a ‘pay as you go’ option for CPD events. We hope these will encourage Fellows and Members to remain engaged with the Faculty.

HSE Health and Well-being – Physical Activity Pathway in Healthcare Model Advisory Group and FSEM Exercise Medicine Committee

We have engaged with other specialties to develop a four- to six-year route for SEM training in Ireland

The Faculty was invited to appoint representatives to this new HSE advisory group and we look forward to collaborating further on this important topic. We established an Exercise Medicine Committee with key experts and plan to increase the number of Exercise Medicine teaching sessions for trainees, as well as CPD opportunities for Fellows and Members.

Dr Catriona Bradley Executive Director, Irish Institute of Pharmacy

Irish Institute of Pharmacy

RCSI is the managing body for the Irish Institute of Pharmacy (IIOP), appointed by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI: The Pharmacy Regulator). IIOP manages the statutory CPD system for pharmacists in Ireland and supports the development of pharmacy practice. During 2023-2024, IIOP continued to fulfil the Regulator’s objective of assuring the quality of pharmacist CPD and the Department of Health’s (DoH) objective of providing pharmacists with access to highquality resources to support evolving pharmacy practice.

ePortfolio review

The ePortfolio Review ensures that pharmacists demonstrate ongoing engagement with CPD, in line with legislative requirements. The 2023-2024 ePortfolio Review process involved 1,391 pharmacists, with 97.1% meeting the required standard.

Training programmes and information resources

IIOP delivered a wide variety of training programmes and resources over the past year, including 27 online training programmes, five roadshows and 40 peer support workshops.

We supported the work of the DoH Expert Taskforce on the Expansion of the Role of the Pharmacist in several ways, including participation in the Taskforce’s Research Sub-group, developing of a new Expert Taskforce section in the IIOP Resource Hub, hosting webinars and creating new resources to support the implementation of the Taskforce’s recommendations.

IIOP’s Mentoring Programme continued to thrive, consistently receiving positive feedback.

IIOP’s Mentoring Programme continued to thrive, consistently receiving positive feedback, with participants eager to engage in future programmes.

In May 2024, we delivered the 80th webinar as part of the ‘In Conversation With...’ series. Over 20 webinars were delivered in 2023-2024, bringing together experts and enthusiasts to explore a wide range of topics supporting the needs of the profession.

As part of IIOP’s leadership development agenda, we collaborated with the social enterprise Leading Ireland’s Future Together (LIFT) to facilitate a nationwide pilot of their eight-week leadership roundtable programme. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, and the programme will be made available to the wider profession in autumn.

Engagement activities

In November 2023, the 10th All Ireland Pharmacy Conference was held in collaboration with the Northern Ireland Centre for Pharmacy Learning and Development. This unique cross-border event, themed ‘Creating Momentum & Building Capacity’, attracted more than 160 participants from both North and South and all areas of practice, who shared ideas for pharmaceutical service development.

In February 2024, IIOP collaborated with the HSE’s National Medication Safety Programme and the HSE’s National Quality and Patient Safety Directorate to host an interprofessional session entitled ‘Achieving Collective Impact in Addressing Problematic Polypharmacy’.

As the year draws to a close, we are on the cusp of significant change within the pharmacy profession in Ireland and IIOP looks forward to supporting pharmacists in meeting the challenges of the future.

The establishment of the International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation, RCSI’s first international university-touniversity partnership, paves the way to welcoming our first cohort of Chinese students to our highquality education programmes.

Professor Brian Kirby, Deputy Dean of the new International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation, a Joint Education Institute between RCSI and Soochow University, China and led by the School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

International campuses

International campuses

The international reach of RCSI’s education and research missions is epitomised by our campuses in Bahrain, Malaysia and our new joint venture in China. Our academic and professional staff continued to drive innovation in international health sciences education and research during the past 12 months.

RCSI Bahrain

20th anniversary celebrations

2024 marks the 20th anniversary of RCSI Medical University of Bahrain. In 2004, the University welcomed its inaugural cohort of 28 medical students. Today, the campus houses over 1,600 students, across the Schools of Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery and Postgraduate Studies and Research, reflecting the University’s remarkable growth and development. We celebrated with staff, students and alumni at dedicated events and highlighted our achievements through the 20-Years in Focus Conversation Series.

Commitment to sustainability

PwC Ireland’s National Economic Contribution report reveals that RCSI Bahrain contributes approximately $91m annually to the national economy. This includes the University’s operations, student expenditures and the economic impacts of visitors. The construction of the new academic building’s is expected to add another $102m over four years.

The University also significantly influences Bahrain’s socioeconomic development by enhancing local healthcare skills, contributing to national research and championing sustainability.

RCSI Bahrain supports 437 jobs and continues to expand its staff numbers. Of the 227 full-time staff, 50% are Bahraini nationals who benefit from ongoing professional development programmes.

RCSI Bahrain supports Bahrain’s national health programme through initiatives with a positive impact on public health. Since 2012, our Diabetes Mobile Unit (DMU) has visited schools in Bahrain, educating more than 5,400 children on the importance of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Staffed entirely by nursing students, faculty and alumni, the DMU conducts various educational activities to teach children about the risks, symptoms and prevention of type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

Innovative research lies at the heart of enhancing human health and patient care. Our research efforts are primarily focused on clinical and patient-centred research to address the prevalence of diabetes in Bahrain. Our team is exploring the use of stem cells to find an alternative treatment for diabetes that is more feasible in terms of compatibility with patients’ health conditions, scalability and cost-effectiveness.

With globally recognised degrees awarded by the National University of Ireland (NUI) and RCSI, graduates have access to career opportunities worldwide. Our students, graduates and alumni continue to be successful in the licensing exams and

Researchers pictured at RCSI Bahrain’s Research Centre in November 2023.

application processes for numerous countries with the majority of the 2024 graduating class offered internships in the UK, 29 students matched in the USA and ten matched into Canadian residency programmes.

We are proud to be the first university in Bahrain to use solar energy, generating up to 60% of our campus’ electricity needs, an achievement that was recognised with a number of accolades during the reporting period. Our solar farm project, was recognised at the seventh Bahrain Smart Cities 2024 Summit, winning the ‘Renewable Energy and Sustainability Initiatives’ award and the ‘Best Practices in Sustainability’ award at the 2024 Power List Awards Middle East Gala.

Training future medical professionals

As part of our strategic partnership with healthcare institutions and hospitals, RCSI Bahrain launched an internship programme in collaboration with King Hamad - American Mission Hospital (KHAMH) and government hospitals. The programme, which began in June 2024, provides valuable clinical training experiences and access to the Centre for Medical Innovation and Simulation, easing the transition into the professional world. Interns benefit from the expertise of medical staff at KHAMH and government hospitals and have the opportunity to engage in the University’s continuing professional development and clinical research initiatives.

Laying of the foundation stone of the new academic building

The laying of the foundation stone for our new academic building in June 2024 marked a significant milestone in this ambitious campus expansion project. Covering over 7,912 square metres, the new building will increase the University’s net usable area by 140%. This development will encompass six key areas: teaching, clinical simulation, research, student experience, conferring ceremonies and events, and office space.

In alignment with our Green Campus initiative, this project will enhance operational efficiency and environmental stewardship, laying the groundwork for further development. The campus expansion also presents opportunities to develop programmes that address the needs of national and regional markets, consistent with RCSI’s mission.

Covering

over 7,912 square metres, the new building will increase the University’s net usable area by 140%.

Artistic impression of the new academic building on RCSI Bahrain campus.

RCSI and UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC)

RCSI and UCD Malaysia Campus (RUMC), formerly Penang Medical College (PMC), was established to meet the need for a medical institution in northern Malaysia. RUMC, a collaboration between RCSI and UCD, officially became a Foreign University Branch Campus in 2018.

In January 2024, the campus Clinical Skills Centre (CSC) was officially opened by Her Excellency Orla Tunney, Ambassador of Ireland to Malaysia.

In June 2024, RUMC held the NUI conferring ceremony for the Class of 2024, with 96 students conferred. The ceremony took place in the presence of Her Royal Highness Che Puan Muda Zaheeda binti Mohamad Ariff, Consort to the Crown Prince of Kedah.

In January 2024, the campus Clinical Skills Centre (CSC) was officially opened by Her Excellency Orla Tunney, Ambassador of Ireland to Malaysia.

The first Malaysia-Ireland Training Programme for Family Medicine (MInTFM) graduation took place in November 2023 in Kuala Lumpur. A total of 24 graduates, from both Central and Northern Schemes, received Membership of the Irish College of GPs (MICGP) certificates and Certificates of Satisfactory Completion of Specialist Training (CSCST). Run as a collaboration between RUMC, the Irish College of General Practitioners and iheed, MInTFM is tailored for medical doctors aspiring to be Family Medicine Specialists. Currently, almost 500 doctors across Malaysia enrolled in the programme.

RUMC is the coordinating centre for the Malaysian Cochrane Network, with specific expertise in paediatrics and child health. In September 2024, Cochrane Malaysia will celebrate its tenth anniversary. Other research activities include membership of the Malaysian One Health University Network (MyOHUN) and the newly established Bioethics Centre.

Pictured at the signing ceremony to mark the official opening of the Clinical Simulation Centre in January were Associate Professor Clinical Dr Tan Kean Chye, Director of Clinical Simulation Centre; Professor Dato Dr Abdul Rashid, Dean of RUMC; Professor Karen Morgan, President of RUMC; Her Excellency Orla Tunney, Ambassador of Ireland to Malaysia; and Zalina Abdul Rahman, Registrar of RUMC.

Perdana

University RCSI (PU-RCSI) medicine programme, Malaysia

The Perdana University and RCSI (PU-RCSI) medicine programme began in 2011, and after nine cohorts and 410 graduates, it is now in its final year. The 2024 graduating class will be the last for RCSI. With the move of Professor Karen Morgan to the role of President of RUMC, newly appointment Dean Professor Raghu Varadarajan, Dean and Senior Cycle Director Professor Dato’ Seri Dr Sree Raman, have overseen the Final Year Programme, agreed by both the Malaysian Medical Council and the Irish Medical Council.

Students have received exceptional support during this ‘teach out’ year. In September 2023, members of RCSI’s CoMPPAS team from Dublin delivered a week-long ‘Design Your Life’ careers programme for the final cohort, which was highly valued by the students. Professor Arnold Hill, Dean of Medical Programmes, has continued to provide support from Dublin for academic and examination matters.

In September 2023, members of RCSI’s CoMPPAS team from Dublin delivered a week-long

‘Design Your Life’ careers

programme

The PU-RCSI office in Dublin has organised the transfer of registry functions and graduate records for long-term consultation by graduates as RCSI/NUI alumni. While most graduates have opted to remain in Malaysia for housemanship after graduation, a small number have applied internationally, with the UK’s Foundation Programme being a popular choice. The final convocation event for PU-RCSI graduates is planned for December 2024. PU-RCSI alumni will join a large cohort of RCSI alumni working in Malaysia, many of whom graduated through Dublin or RUMC, Penang.

International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation, China

The International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation (ICPI), approved by China’s Ministry of Education in 2023, received final Provincial approval in May 2024. The College combines the strengths of two prestigious institutes, Soochow University in China and RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences. A key aim of any Joint Education Institute (JEI) in China is to internationalise higher education and to enhance pedagogy.

The ICPI will combine the best of Chinese and international education to enhance the development of pharmacy, pharmaceutical and biomedical science talents in China. Central to this is the awarding of dual degrees, with both partner institutions awarding their own degrees. RCSI will deliver three programmes, currently offered in Dublin, as dual degrees in China: BSc Pharmacy, BSc Applied Therapeutic Technologies (BSc ATT) and MSc Research, with the first students starting in September 2024. These programmes, designed in collaboration with clinical, research and industry experts, will prepare students to meet the demands of the changing healthcare landscape.

The new ICPI merges student-centred education and innovative research to ensure we graduates will succeed in the workplace or in postgraduate research. The future looks bright for the first cohort of students, who will be based in the ICPI building at the Future Campus of Soochow University, Suzhou, China.

The International College of Pharmaceutical Innovation (ICPI), received final Provincial approval in May 2024.

Thank you

We are grateful to all the alumni, corporate supporters and philanthropic partners whose commitment and contributions have been instrumental in advancing our mission and driving our success over the past year.

Appendix 1

RCSI postgraduate surgical awards

Postgraduate surgical awards

RCSI is committed to encouraging the acquisition of additional training and skills outside the structured programmes of the College and, to this end, provides a range of scholarships and grants in postgraduate surgery to assist surgeons-in-training and recently appointed consultant surgeons to gain additional expertise in centres of excellence overseas.

RCSI Colles Travelling Fellowship in Surgery:

~ Mr Noel Edward Donlon, Clinical and Research Fellowship in oesophagogastric surgery Amsterdam UMC, Netherlands (Year 1) and Clinical and Research Fellowship in advanced oesophagogastric surgery, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada (Year 2)

RCSI Colles Surgical Travel Grants

~ Ms Stefanie Croghan, The Newcastle Stone and Endourology Senior Fellowship 2024, Department of Urology, Freeman Hospital, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

~ Ms Ola Ahmed, The Abdominal Organ Transplant and HPB Fellowship Program in The Abdominal Organ Transplant and HPB Fellowship Program, Washington University School of Medicine, Barnes Jewish Hospital and St Louis Children’s Hospital in St Louis Missouri, USA

~ Mr Ian Sean Reynolds, International Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship (Minnesota), Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

~ Ms Clare O’Connell, Society of Urologic Oncology (SUO) Fellowship, University of Toronto (Toronto General Hospital, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre & Sunnybrook Hospital), Toronto, Ontario, Canada

~ Ms Clare Quigley, Oculoplastics Fellowship, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, Australia

~ Ms Sarah Marie Norton, Fellowship in Male Genital Reconstruction encompassing an International Fellowship in Advanced Urethral Reconstructive Surgery at the Kulkarni Uro Surgery Institute in Pune, India; a Fellowship in Andrology and Penile Cancer in University College London, UK; and a Fellowship in Andrology and Urethroplasty at Guy’s and St Thomas’, London, UK

RCSI Travel Grants

~ Mr Noel Edward Donlon, Clinical and Research Fellowship in oesophagogastric surgery, UMC Amsterdam, Netherlands; and McGill Advanced Thoracic and Upper GI Surgical Oncology Fellowship, Department of Thoracic and Esophagogastric Surgery, McGill University Hospital, Montreal Quebec, Canada

~ Mr Ian Sean Reynolds, The Mayo Clinical International Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, Department of Colon and Rectal Surgery, The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

~ Ms Paula Wrafter, Fellowship in Hand Surgery, Dandenong Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

~ Ms Sharon Kennedy, Acute and Intensive Car Surgical Burns Fellow, National Burns Unit, Linköping University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden

~ Mr Matthew Lee, Fellowship in Tumours and Complex Primary and Revision Arthroplasty, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, Sydney, Australia

~ Mr Joseph Mc Loughlin, Trust Speciality Registrar in Cardiothoracic Surgery, Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital, Liverpool, UK

Millin Lecture 2023

~ Mr Michael Kelly: Marginal Gain Theory and the Power of Collaborative Research in Advanced Colorectal Cancer

Appendix 2

Academic staff promotions

Promotion to Senior Lecturer

~ Dr Aamir Hameed, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine

~ Dr Caitriona Cahir, School of Population Health

~ Dr Marco Monopoli, Department of Chemistry

~ Dr Marie McIlroy, Department of Surgery

~ Dr Melanie Föcking, Department of Psychiatry

~ Dr Stephen Madden, School of Population Health

Promotion to Associate Professor

~ Dr Ann Hopkins, Department of Surgery

~ Dr Gozie Offiah, Department of Surgery

~ Dr Grainne Cousins, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences

~ Dr Oran Kennedy, Department of Anatomy and Regenerative Medicine

~ Dr Triona Ni Chonghaile, Department of Physiology and Medical Physics

Promotion to Professor

~ Professor Kathleen Bennett, School of Population Health

~ Professor Tom O’Connor, School of Nursing and Midwifery

Appendix 3

Honorary appointments and promotions

Honorary Clinical Associate Professor,

~ Mr Dylan Murray, Plastic Craniofacial and Oral Surgeon, CHI Temple Street and Mater Hospital

~ Professor Eddie O’Donnell, Consultant OBGYN, University Hospital Waterford

~ Dr Fionnuala Ni Ainle, Consultant Haematologist, Rotunda Hospital

~ Mr Nadeem Ajmal, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Beaumont Hospital

Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer

~ Dr Aftab Khattak, Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Aisling McMahon, Consultant Intensivist and Anaesthetist, Mater Misericordiae University Hospital

~ Dr Anandan Natarajan, Consultant Respiratory and General Physician, Our Lady’s Hospital Navan

~ Dr Brendan O’Kelly, General Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases Consultant, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Carthage Carroll, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Connolly Hospital

~ Dr Colin Davenport, Consultant Endocrinologist, Connolly Hospital

~ Dr Colm Breatnach, Consultant in Paediatric Intensive Care, CHI Crumlin

~ Dr Daniel Ryan, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Elaine Hayes, Consultant Respiratory Physician, Our Lady of Lourdes Drogheda

~ Dr Fiona Ringholz, Consultant Paediatrician in Respiratory Medicine, CHI Crumlin

~ Dr Fionnvola Armstrong, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Hafiz Zia ul Hussnain, Consultant Endocrinologist, Cavan General Hospital

~ Dr Harish Parvathaiah, Consultant Psychiatrist, Carlow, Kilkenny, South Tipperary Mental Health Services

~ Mr John Keane, Consultant Urologist, University Hospital Waterford

~ Dr Keith Quintyne, Consultant in Public Health, HSE

~ Dr Lavanya Saiva, Consultant Cardiologist, Connolly Hospital

~ Mr Lee Yap, Consultant Urologist, University Hospital Waterford

~ Dr Magid Awadalla, Consultant Cardiologist, Mater Private Hospital

~ Mr Mansoor Chaudry, Consultant Surgeon, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Margaret Walshe, Consultant Physician, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Mohamed Ahmed, Consultant Anaesthesiologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Mr Mohammed Aboelmagd, Consultant Urologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda and Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Nor Abdul, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Nurul Aminudin, Consultant Neonatologist, Rotunda Hospital

~ Mr Odhran Murray, Consultant Spinal Surgeon, Blackrock Health Galway Clinic

~ Dr Patricia Fearon, Consultant Stroke Physician, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Patrick Nicholson, Consultant Neuroradiologist, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Patrick Sheehan, Consultant Paediatric Otolaryngologist, CHI Temple Street

~ Dr Peadar Gilligan, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Poochellam Muthalagu, Consultant Endocrine Physician, Cavan Monaghan Hospital

~ Mr Prasad Ellanti, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Ms Roisin Dolan, Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon, Beaumont Hospital

~ Mr Sam Kuan, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Midland Regional Hospital Mullingar

~ Mr Sami Khan, Consultant in Trauma and Orthopaedics, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Sasikala Selvamani, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Dr Suzanne Ryan, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, University Hospital Waterford

~ Dr Tamer Boutrus, Consultant Internal Medicine, Blackrock Health Galway Clinic

~ Mr Theogren Balakrishnan, Consultant Plastic Surgeon, Blackrock Health Galway Clinic

Honorary Clinical Lecturer

~ Ms Emma Kelly, Senior Respiratory Physiotherapist, Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital Drogheda

~ Ms Fiona Gaffney, Senior Neonatal Pharmacist, Rotunda Hospital

~ Dr JJ Coughlan, Interventional Cardiology Fellow, Mater Private Hospital

~ Dr Louise Kelly, Specialist Registrar, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Sahar Riaz, Registrar, Beaumont Hospital

~ Dr Yvonne Hartnett, Senior Registrar, Coombe Hospital

Honorary Senior Lecturer

~ Professor David Hoey, Associate Professor, Trinity College Dublin

~ Ms Helen Danaher, Chief Pharmacist, Heath Service Executive

Honorary Lecturer

~ Dr Alan Hibbitts, CEO, LEP Biomedical

~ Dr Eve O’Toole, Head of Evidence and Quality Hub, National Cancer Control Programme

~ Dr Fiona Scorgie, Senior Researcher, Wits Reproductive Health & HIV Institute

~ Ms Joan Devin, Midwife and Clinical Operations Support, Irish Medicine Pregnancy Service

~ Mr Patrick Carton, Director for Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, UPMC Whitfield

~ Dr Seona Rossi, Global Stratey Director, Veeva Systems Ltd

Appendix 4

Honorary Doctorates

~ Professor Dorothy Roberts, 14th Penn Integrates Knowledge Professor, George A. Weiss University Professor of Law & Sociology and Raymond Pace & Sadie Tanner Mossell Alexander Professor of Civil Rights, University of Pennsylvania

~ Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter FRS OBE, Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the Centre for Mathematical Sciences, University of Cambridge

~ Emer Cooke, Executive Director of the European Medicines Agency and Chair of the International Coalition of Medicines Regulatory Authorities

~ Noeline Blackwell, Former CEO of Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and Human Rights Lawyer

~ Margaret Murphy, Patient Safety Advocate and the External Lead Advisor Emeritus for the World Health Organization (WHO) Patients for Patient Safety Programme

Honorary Fellowships

~ Mr Michael J. Dowling, President and CEO, Northwell Health, New York, USA

~ Professor Hannah McGee, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, RCSI

~ Professor Noel N. Williams, Rhoads-Harrington Professor in Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, USA

~ Mr Mike McKirdy, President, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, Scotland

~ Mr John Alexander Matheson, Orthopaedic Surgeon, New Zealand

~ Professor James M. Drake, Robert B. Salter Chair in Surgery, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

~ Professor Patricia Joy Numann, Lloyd S Rogers Professor of Surgery Emeritus, State University of New York Upstate Medical University, New York, USA

~ Professor Paul Brennan, Consultant Radiologist, Bon Secours Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

RCSI

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