Update from Vice-Provost/Chief Academic Officer to students

11 June 2021

Dear students

I am pleased to inform you about the starting dates of the 2021/22 academic year. For most students there will be a return to the familiar semester structure with pre-Christmas assessments.

Teaching for Semester 1 will begin on Monday 13 September 2021 for undergraduate and postgraduate students except for first year undergraduates who will start on 27 September. This delay is required to allow time to process CAO applications in light of the revised timetable for issuing Leaving Certificate results.

An orientation week for returning students, and in particular for second year students who were unable to avail of orientation last year, will start on Monday 6 September. Orientation for first year undergraduate students will start on Monday 20 September.

Study Week for all students will run from 25 – 29 October. For first year undergraduates this week will also serve as an additional orientation week.

For continuing and postgraduate students Semester 1 will run to 3 December, with end of term assessments to be scheduled for the week starting 13 December 2021.

For Junior Fresh (first year) students, Semester 1 will continue until 17 December, with some end-of-term in person examinations taking place after Christmas in the week of 10 January 2022.

We anticipate a return to largely face-to-face teaching and learning in the coming year, with some modifications likely for larger lectures. This is very welcome news after a challenging year with little on campus activity and personal interaction for most students.

College has been planning for different scenarios depending on what public health requirements will be in force at the time. We will update you with more details once Government guidance for the start of the semester has been received.

Semester 2 for all students will run from 24 January - 14 April 2022, with assessments scheduled for the week starting 2 May 2022.

We very much look forward to welcoming students back on campus in September. In the meantime, stay safe, stay well.

Kind regards

Professor Jürgen Barkhoff
Vice-Provost/Chief Academic Officer