Cooperative Education: the University of Limerick Perspective

Cooperative Education at the University of Limerick is a programme in which undergraduates are placed in supervised employment for up to eight months during their studies. It is a component part of their degree programme. UL introduced the concept to Ireland more than 25 years ago and there is now a network of some 1,200 organisations participating with 2,000 placements a year. Procedures for selecting, supervising and assessing placement students are examined and the benefits both to industry and the University are outlined. Cooperative Education has provided the means of forming linkages with partners in industry, commerce, the professions and the public sector. It has allowed UL to adapt to external changes and to reflect such changes in terms of curricular development. At the same time, it has created a corps of graduates with practical experience who are in a position to make a positive contribution to economic and social development. Overall, some 85% of UL graduates obtain employment in industry and commerce.