DUBLIN, IRELAND and LOS ANGELES, CA — November 4, 2019 — Dublin City University (DCU) today announced its partnership with global online learning services enterprise InStride. InStride enables employees of multinational companies to access educational opportunities and earn degrees from prestigious universities around the world. DCU is InStride’s first European partner.

This partnership reflects the changing nature of education, in particular a shift towards online study and the university’s commitment to lifelong learning. DCU is joining InStride’s rapidly expanding network of university partners in the United States, Mexico and Australia.

Employees of companies that partner with InStride can access online degree programmes from their network of universities. An important catalyst for launching InStride was the success of corporate partnerships such as the Starbucks College Achievement Plan with Arizona State University (ASU), as well as similar partnerships with Adidas and Uber. InStride has initiated additional partnerships with companies such as Aramark (owner of Irish retailer Avoca) and others to design strategic education programs that help companies better address their human capital needs.

Prof. Brian MacCraith, President of DCU, said, “In a rapidly changing world, the need for in-work upskilling has never been clearer. DCU has a proven track record of providing industry-responsive programmes that address emerging skills gaps. We are also leaders in the online learning space, making DCU an ideal partner for InStride.”

Vivek Sharma, CEO of InStride, said, “InStride is proud to establish a relationship with Dublin City University and President MacCraith as our first university in Europe. Our corporate partners have global workforces who need additional education at high-quality institutions such as DCU. To lead a global transformative education movement focused on achieving social impact, it’s essential to have an innovative university like DCU as an integral part of our university network.”

About InStride

InStride is a global learning services enterprise reinventing the education of today’s workforce, by working with employers to provide opportunities for their employees to earn degrees and credentials from the highest-quality universities and colleges. Founded as a collaboration between Arizona State University (ASU), U.S. News and World Report’s most innovative university, and The Rise Fund, a global impact investing fund managed by TPG, InStride is a public benefit company that aims to become the indispensable human capital partner of organizations, helping them unlock the full potential of the university ecosystem and provide meaningful, life-changing impacts for their employees. For more information, please visit www.instride.com.

About Dublin City University

Dublin City University (DCU) is Ireland’s fastest growing university, has seen its student population increase by 50% in the past 5 years, to over 17,500 students. It has forged a reputation as Ireland’s university of enterprise, through its strong, active links with academic, research and industry partners both at home and overseas.

DCU has five faculties incorporating 23 schools spread across three academic campuses, located in Glasnevin and Drumcondra, on the northside of Dublin City.

DCU is ranked 19th in the world for Graduate Employment Rate in the 2020 QS Graduate Employment Rankings. These rankings measure the number of graduates employed within 12 months of graduation. DCU develops highly sought-after, well-rounded graduates who are ready for the workforce and eager to apply their knowledge and skills in a broad range of settings. For more information, please visit www.dcu.ie.