Ireland’s largest teaching and learning hub opens following donation from late energy pioneer Eddie O’Connor and public investment
6 March 2026
Members of Eddie O'Connor's family, including his wife Hildegard and children Lesley and Robert, alongside UCD President Professor Orla Feely (left) and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD (center) at the launch of the O'Connor Centre for Learning Credit: Fennell Photography
Ireland’s largest facility dedicated to teaching and learning opens at University College Dublin.
Measuring 11,580 square metres and five storeys in height, this landmark building was made possible by a philanthropic donation from alumnus and renewable energy pioneer Eddie O’Connor backed by significant investment from UCD and the State.
The O’Connor Centre for Learning has a total capacity for more than 3,000 students and is designed to be open and accessible to all students and faculty across the UCD campus as a learning hub for our entire community.
The state-of-the-art facility includes a 250-seat lecture theatre, adaptable teaching rooms, as well as the largest active collaborative learning space in Ireland - an area that can comfortably accommodate hundreds of students.
Prominently located at the main entrance of the Belfield campus, the O’Connor Centre is a Near-Zero Energy Building (NZEB), having been optimised to reduce energy demand with high levels of insulation, airtight construction, and passive solar strategies.
Speaking at the Centre’s launch, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD called the Centre “a statement of ambition, and a fitting tribute to the vision and generosity of Dr Eddie O’Connor”.
“This state‑of‑the‑art facility will enrich the learning experience of students for generations to come.
“Our third level institutions sit at the heart of Europe’s ability to educate talent and turn bright ideas into real‑world impact. Eddie O’Connor understood that better than most - he built his life’s work on the power of innovation and education.
“With continued government support, this new addition to UCD’s campus will give our students and researchers the tools, spaces and confidence they need to shape Ireland’s future.”
UCD President (opens in a new window)Professor Orla Feely said: “This centre, the largest teaching and learning hub in the country, will be the new beating heart of our campus.
“The O’Connor Centre for Learning is a tangible expression of UCD’s Strategy, a commitment to creating a connected, sustainable, and globally engaged campus that supports excellence in teaching, research, and student experience."
UCD Registrar and Deputy President (opens in a new window)Professor Colin Scott, who is the senior management sponsor of the construction project, added: “The O’Connor Centre for Learning delivers on the strategic commitment to supporting students in learning for life.
“It is inspiring to see this space already functioning as an inclusive and vibrant ecosystem where formal pedagogy and informal social discovery meet. Here, our students are not just acquiring knowledge; they are practicing the essential skills of co-creation and critical thinking that will prepare them to lead in tackling society’s future challenges.”
The O’Connor Centre was supported by significant public investment from the Higher Education Authority and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Attending the launch were members of Eddie O'Connor's family, including his wife Hildegard and children Robert and Lesley.
Alongside providing a modern, technology-enabled learning environment, the new hub pays close attention to the principles of universal design, allowing for the creation of flexible spaces that are responsive to different users’ needs.
It enables new, transformative approaches to teaching and learning, equipping students with the skills and confidence to thrive in a rapidly changing future.
Alongside this, the centre incorporates induction loop systems, which transmit audio directly to hearing aids and cochlear implants using magnetic fields, to support students with hearing loss, making its teaching areas among the most accessible on campus.
These new standards of technology and adaptability within classrooms and other learning spaces at the O’Connor Centre for Learning will be applied across the wider campus as older buildings are retrofitted.
The new building represents a considerable donation by the late Eddie O’Connor and links his commitment to sustainability with UCD’s mission to educate future generations of leaders and innovators.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the global renewable energy sector, the UCD alumnus built Ireland’s first commercial wind farm, and later founded renewable power firm Airtricity, which built Ireland’s first offshore wind farm under his tenure.
“The development of the UCD O’Connor Centre for Learning at University College Dublin was supported by a combination of State funding and the university's community of donors,” said Jordan Cambell, CEO of (opens in a new window)UCD Foundation.
“Named in recognition of its principal benefactor, Eddie O'Connor, a proud UCD alumnus, the Centre reflects a significant investment in enhancing the student experience through flexible learning spaces at UCD. Capital developments of this scale cannot be achieved without the generous support of our donors.”
The opening of the O’Connor Centre comes as UCD advances its ambitious €800m capital development programme, supporting the University’s strategic objective.
Over the past 15 years, this sustained investment has enabled a 30% increase in student numbers and greatly enhanced the quality of UCD’s teaching and learning environment.
The O’Connor Centre was designed by architects RKD, who have been involved in all phases of UCD’s Science Centre, including the current developments that will open later this year.
Half of the cement used in the construction of the O’Connor Centre was replaced with a lower carbon industrial byproduct, cutting embodied carbon while also improving durability.
Inside, heating is supplied by the campus’ low carbon district heating network - a project pivotal in UCD’s ongoing strategy to reduce carbon emissions and enhance energy efficiency across the main Belfield Campus, removing the need for onsite boilers.
Solar panels on the roof generate renewable electricity, and smart systems manage lighting, heating and ventilation to minimise energy use. Water use has also been carefully considered. Low flow fittings are installed throughout, and recycled white water from the campus network is used for toilet flushing, helping to conserve drinking water.
Some 2,000 new trees and saplings were planted in the surrounding campus area as part of the project, bringing the total number of trees and saplings across the campus to over 55,000.
By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations
To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie
