RCSI (The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland) will confer almost 700 students with undergraduate degrees and postgraduate awards at five conferring ceremonies taking place today in RCSI and tomorrow in the Convention Centre, Dublin.

The ceremonies commence in the College today at 10.30am with the conferring of 92 candidates from full-time undergraduate programmes including medicine, physiotherapy and pharmacy. At 1.00pm, 63 students will be conferred with Masters of Surgery (MCh) and higher degrees by research including MSc, MD and PhD.

At 3pm, 84 candidates will be conferred with Masters of Science (MSc) Degrees in Bereavement Studies; Healthcare Management; Leadership and Management Development; Leadership in Health Professions Education; and Quality & Safety in Healthcare Management.

Thursday's ceremonies in the Convention Centre will begin at 10am with 280 students conferred with postgraduate degrees in Nursing and Midwifery. A number of awards will be presented at the nursing and midwifery ceremony including the Rose Lanigan Medal, Mary Frances Crowley Award and National Florence Nightingale Committee of Ireland Award.

The final ceremony takes place at 1pm with 155 conferred with Masters of Pharmacy and 22 candidates will be awarded an MSc in Industrial Pharmaceutical Science.

Professor Cathal Kelly, CEO/Registrar, RCSI, said: "The variety and number of awards being presented over the next two days reinforces RCSI's key role as a leading provider in healthcare education in Ireland. Today marks a celebration and recognition of the graduate's accomplishments which they have achieved through outstanding ability, diligent application, sacrifice, excellent teaching and, in particular the support of family and friends. I would like to congratulate everyone here today on their achievements and wish them success in their careers."

Founded in 1784, RCSI's mission is to develop healthcare leaders who make a difference worldwide. RCSI is a not-for-profit health sciences organisation which focuses on education and research to drive positive change in all areas of human health worldwide. RCSI is headquartered in Dublin and is a recognised College of the National University of Ireland.