An ambitious €60 million 10-year development plan for the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was launched yesterday.
The plan includes a €6 million national surgical training centre which will have an operating theatre and a simulation suite where students can learn new surgical techniques in simulated operations.
An international development board, chaired by the businessman, Mr Dermot Desmond, will be responsible for the funding of the plan. The board also includes Ms Loretta Brennan Glucksman, chairwoman of the American Ireland Fund, businessmen Mr Jim Flavin and Mr Edward Haughey.
They will seek financial support for the plan in this State, as well as in North America, the Middle East and the Far East.
With 2,500 students, the Royal College of Surgeons runs the largest medical school in the State and is the national body for surgical training.
It has faculties in dentistry, nursing, radiology, sports and exercise medicine and also has a college of anaesthetists.
The number of students increased by 40 per cent in the last five years and is predicted to increase by a further 20 per cent in the next three years.
This is the first time the college has drawn up a development plan. It includes a €5 million expansion of the new School of Pharmacy; additional research space for the Institute of Biopharmaceutical Science; new student accommodation; a €10 million sports facility; and a new School of Biomedical Science.
This school is aimed at filling the unmet needs and skills shortages of the biomedical industries and research communities, according to Prof Kevin O'Malley, chief executive of the Royal College of Surgeons.
Most of the development will be around the college's main campus on Dublin's St Stephen's Green but its teaching and research facilities at Beaumont Hospital will also be expanded. Several million euro will also be spent on improving e-learning facilities.
Prof O'Malley said the plan was part of an ongoing drive to improve the operations of the college and facilitate new opportunities.
"Maintaining competitive advantage at RCSI will be measured not only by the quality of our students, graduates and staff, but also by our ability to make sound academic and business decisions that enable us to remain at the forefront of healthcare education and research.
"The developments which we have earmarked for completion in the next 10 years will enable us to achieve this," he said.
About €11 million has already been committed to the College of Surgeons for the plan. Almost €6 million of this came from the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions, and a grant from the Higher Education Authority. The remainder was donated to the college.
The international development board will be relying on grant aid and donations from private individuals and philanthropic companies to provide the remaining €49 million. About half of the college's students come from overseas. The college also provides education and training facilities in countries such as Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Malaysia.
