UL's campus lies along both sides of the River Shannon, on a 137.5-hectare (340-acre) site with 46 hectares (110 acres) on the north bank and 91.5 hectares (226 acres) on the south bank at Plassey, County Limerick, 5 kilometres (3.1mi) from the city centre. It has over 11,000 full-time undergraduate students,[6] including over 2,400 international students,[7] and 1,500 part-time students. There are over 800 research postgraduates and 1,300 postgraduate students receiving instruction[8] at the university. Its co-operative education ("co-op") programme offers students an up to eight-month work placement as part of their degree; it was Ireland's first such programme.
Following founding president Edward M. Walsh, Roger GH Downer, John O'Connor, Don Barry, Des Fitzgerald and Kerstin Mey were presidents of UL from 1998 to August 2024.[9] The current acting president is Professor Shane Kilcommins.
History
University campaign
Plassey House, built in the eighteenth century, now houses the President's Office and displays the university's ceremonial mace.
According to founding president Edward M. Walsh,[10] the mayor of Limerick applied for a college of the planned Queen's University of Ireland to be established in the city.[11] However, in 1850, Queen's College, Belfast, Cork and Galway were established instead. In 1908 there was an attempt to link the National University of Ireland and Mungret College, about five kilometres from Limerick. Mungret offered bachelor's- and master's-level courses in the faculty of arts, with degrees conferred by the Royal University of Ireland, from 1888 to 1908. The university was dissolved in 1909 and replaced by the National University of Ireland, marking the end of tertiary education at Mungret. Degrees were awarded to students at Mungret College by the NUI from 1909 to 1912 to accommodate students who had matriculated at the Royal University.[12]
The campaign for a university in Limerick began in earnest by the late 1950s. The Limerick University Project Committee was founded in September 1959[13] by the mayor of Limerick in 1957, Ted Russell. Another supporter, Dermot Kinlen, was a High Court judge and the first state inspector general of prisons and places of detention. Russell and Kinlen received honorary degrees from the university in 2002.
National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick
The introduction in 1968 of Free Education in Ireland by Limerick Education Minister Donogh O'Malley - O'Malley actually bought the current 340 acre UL Plassey site for the State from the Bugler family in 1967 - and his plans for nine Institutes of Higher Education followed by successful economic-development policies during the 1960s led to an influx of foreign investment into Ireland and demand for expertise not met by the existing universities. Ireland established the National Institute for Higher Education (NIHE) at Limerick, modelled on the technological universities of continental Europe, and perhaps the polytechnic approach being developed in the UK.[citation needed] Edward Walsh took office as chairman of the planning board and director of the institute on 1 January 1970.[14] This more twentieth-century and continental approach is illustrated by its use of funding from the World Bank, European Investment Bank and philanthropists.[clarification needed] Construction on phase one, for example, used financing from the World Bank. Faculty and staff were recruited internationally, and they — in addition to extensive teaching and research facilities — attracted foreign investment led by Analog Devices (which manufactured Ireland's first silicon chips).[disputed–discuss]
The first students were enrolled in 1972, when the institute was opened by TaoiseachJack Lynch. The European Investment Bank financed the second phase of development. Billionaire philanthropist Chuck Feeney was a major donor to the university. Shannon Development was also an early supporter of the project, supporting the NIHE proposal to establish the National Technological Park[15] as an integrated campus.
A change of government resulted in NIHE Limerick applying for recognition as a recognised college of the National University of Ireland, which awarded degrees to its graduates in 1977. After strong opposition by students and others, NIHE Limerick withdrew from the NUI and was established as an independent institution. From 1978 to 1988, the National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA) was the degree-awarding authority for NIHE Limerick.
University status
In 1989, NIHE Limerick was established by legislation as the University of Limerick[5] and NIHE Dublin was established as Dublin City University, each with the power to award its own degrees. These became the first institutes since Irish independence to be given the title "university".[16]
Expansion occurred in 1991, after the incorporation of Thomond College of Education, Limerick. Thomond, sharing a common campus, was founded in 1973 as the National College of Physical Education and became the department of educational and professional studies, focusing on secondary education. Since 1991, degrees from Mary Immaculate College have also been awarded by UL.[17] MIC degrees are offered in primary education and arts programmes, and degrees awarded at St. Patrick's College, Thurles have been conferred by UL since 2012.[18][19] University history under the leadership of founding president Edward M Walsh is profiled in Walsh's 2011 memoir, Upstart: Friends, Foes and Founding a University.
Elements of the US university system were adopted, including cooperative education, grade point average marking and the trimester system. During the 1970s, limited public financing led Walsh and his team to seek World Bank and European Investment Bank funding. Sophisticated private-sector fundraising programmes were later developed, based on US university models and guided by an international leadership board under founding chair Chuck Feeney and Lewis Glucksman. The campus developed primarily as a result of such fundraising activity.[citation needed]
The university has been an active participant in the European Union's Erasmus Programme since 1988 and has 207 partner institutions in 24 European countries. In addition, UL students may study at partner universities in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Brazil, China and Singapore.
UL allied with NUI Galway in 2010, sharing resources.[20]
In accordance with legislation, the university is directed by a policy-making Governing Authority, whose functions are outlined in the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, Act, 1980, amended in the University of Limerick Act, 1989, which raised the institution's status to that of a university and provided for related matters. There are several other important acts concerning the college include the Universities Act, 1997,[22] which allows for the creation of University Statutes.
The Governing Authority's 29 members are chosen by a wide range of groups and authorities and include members elected by staff (in various classes) and students (ex-officio based on elections of Students Union officers).
The 1,000-seat University Concert Hall, seen from a water fountain on the main campusPlassey House, on the River ShannonUL's Schumann BuildingKemmy Business School
Kemmy Business School has Triple Crown accreditation (AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA). It has four academic departments, which are Accounting & Finance, Economics, Management & Marketing, and Personnel & Employment Relations. The school's courses include accounting, finance, economics, marketing, and risk management among other courses. Named after the former mayor of Limerick, Jim Kemmy, the business school has both undergraduate and postgraduate courses on offer.
The Faculty of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences currently offers the only English-language Masters degree in technical communication outside of the United States[28]
UL has a students' union, branded as UL Student Life (ULSL). It is presided over by four sabbatical officers: a president, an academic officer, a welfare officer and a communities officer. Policy decisions are made by the sabbatical officers and a council of class representatives. The union is the representative body for the 18,000 undergraduate UL students. It operates from their office in the main courtyard, which has space for students to relax. ULSU Ents, part of the students' union, organises entertainment for university students throughout the year, with many events taking place during Freshers Week and Charity Week.
The university also has a postgraduate students' union with a full-time, sabbatical postgraduate president. It is one of two Irish universities with such a position.
Clubs and societies
UL has over 70 student-run clubs and societies. Clubs are supported by the students' union, the sports department and the arts office. In March 2014, the clubs and societies refused to recognise the Pro-Life Society—the first[29] society not recognised by the student council.[30] Since then, every new club or society must be voted on by the council and undergo a trial period (usually 14 weeks).
President's Volunteer Award
The President's Volunteer Award (PVA), administered by the university's community-liaison office, was established to harness, acknowledge and support the contributions which students at the University of Limerick make to their communities.[31] It draws on a strong tradition of student volunteerism on and off-campus. The PVA's primary goals are:
To sustain and foster a culture of volunteerism, active citizenship and civic engagement among the student population
To develop collaborative projects and further existing initiatives between UL and the community
To formally acknowledge and support the contributions which UL student volunteers make to the community
To promote the development of civic and leadership skills in students.[31]
The university is ranked fourth in attracting students who attain over 500 points on the Leaving Certificate. It is the only college in Ireland to receive a maximum five stars for its sports facilities.[36]
It was the 2015 University of the Year in the Sunday Times'Good University Guide because of the university's record in graduate employability, improved academic performance, the €52-million Bernal Project and a strong record in research commercialisation.[37] UL is Ireland's only university to receive five stars for graduate employability and teaching in the 2011–12 QS reports. The school also received five stars for infrastructure, internationalisation, innovation and engagement.[38]
Science and engineering
Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI)
The MSSI, established in 1998, generates fundamental research on topics of industrial significance in the fields of surface science and materials. The institute's strengths and interests are in four areas: nanomaterials; biomaterials; composite and glass materials, and biocatalysis and clean technology.[39]
Irish Software Research Centre (Lero)
The university hosts (Lero), the Irish Software Research Centre.[40] Lero was established in November 2005 with support from the Science Foundation Ireland’s CSET (Centre for Science, Engineering and Technology) programme as a collaborative organisation for software-engineering research activities at UL (the lead partner), Dublin City University (DCU), Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and University College Dublin (UCD). In its third funding period (2014–2020), it has grown to encompass all seven Irish universities (UL, DCU, NUI Galway, Maynooth University, TCD, University College Cork and UCD), the Dundalk Institute of Technology, and 29 national and international industrial partners for a volume of €46.4 million. Its scope now encompasses all software-related research.
Interaction Design Centre (IDC)
The centre, established in 1996, is an interdisciplinary research group in the department of computer science and information systems focused on the design, use and evaluation of information and communications technology ranging from media installations and interfaces to technological field studies.[41]
Localisation Research Centre
The LRC was established in 1995 as the Localisation Resources Centre at University College Dublin (UCD) and moved to UL in 1999, where it became the LRC—the information, research and educational centre for the localisation industry in Ireland, offering the world's first MSc degree in multilingual computing and localisation.[42] The LRC leads localisation research in the Centre for Next Generation Localisation (CNGL), established with support from Science Foundation Ireland. In 2009 the LRC spun off the Rosetta Foundation, promoting social localisation and supporting the Action for Global Information Sharing network.[43] In 2011, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).[44]
Enterprise Research Centre
The Enterprise Research Centre (ERC) is committed to researching the challenges facing current and next-generation enterprises. Its staff have research and practical experience in modelling, scheduling and management of enterprise optimisation, design and implementation of integrated systems, product innovation, project management and quality-, reliability- and productivity-improvement tools.
Stokes Institute
The Stokes Institute, founded by Cambridge graduate Mark Davies to work on thermofluid problems, is a mechanical-engineering research group working in fluid mechanics, reliability physics, microfluidic cancer diagnostics and energy management. One focus is the engineering of ICT devices. Stokes Bio, an offshoot of the institute, was sold to Life Technologies in 2010.[citation needed]
The arts
Cast-iron sculpture by Antony Gormley in UL's Central Plaza
UL is home to the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance, a centre for innovation and research in music and dance performance and scholarship, and the Irish Chamber Orchestra (Ireland's leading international chamber orchestra, funded by An Chomhairle Ealaíon (the Irish Arts Council). All three organisations commission and perform new Irish music and dance.
The University Concert Hall (UCH) is UL's principal venue for the performing arts. The 1,000-seat hall was Ireland's first purpose-built concert hall.
Many housing districts near UL have a majority-student population, especially in the adjacent Castletroy area. In recent years, several large student apartment complexes have been built a 15-20-minute walk from UL with Section 50 tax incentives.[clarification needed] Unlike most similar Irish higher education institutes, much housing is on-campus; there are five on-campus student villages, the newest opening in 2006.
The oldest is Plassey Village, opposite UL's main gate. Accommodating 424 students in terraced houses with four or eight bedrooms and a kitchen-living area, it is primarily occupied by first-year students. Built from 1987 to 1992 in four phases, it has a village hall and many small gardens. During the summers of 2010 and 2011, the village's residences were renovated.
Kilmurry Village, the second-oldest student village, is on the east of the campus. It accommodates 540 students in six- or eight-bedroom terraced houses. It is the closest village to the University Arena, which has an Olympic-standard 50-metre swimming pool. The village was built between 1994 and 1997 in two phases. Minor renovations were made during summer 2011, primarily to the kitchens.
Dromroe Village, completed in 2001, is on the south bank of the Shannon. The first high-rise building houses 457 students in six-, four- or two-bedroom ensuite apartments.
Thomond Village, which opened for the autumn 2004 semester, were the first university buildings on the north bank of the Shannon in County Clare. It has accommodation for 504 students in six-, four-, two- and one-bedroom apartments.
Cappavilla Village, the newest student village, opened in September 2006 on the North Bank near the new Health Sciences Building. An extension of Cappavilla opened in September 2007.
Many off-campus student accommodations vary in distance from the campus. Elm Park, College Court, Briarfield and Oaklawns are popular estates with many student residences. Troy Student Village and Courtyard Hall, privately managed student residences slightly further from the campus, are served by a shuttle bus.
Sport
UL's North Campus playing fields
University Arena
The on-campus University Arena is Ireland's largest indoor sports complex.[46] Open since 2002, it consists of the National 50m Swimming Pool. The arena's 3,600-square-metre (4,300sqyd) Indoor Sports Hall has four wooden courts for a variety of sports, a sprint track, an international 400m athletics track and a 200m, three-lane, suspended jogging track. The facility has a cardiovascular and strength-training centre, a weight-training room, team rooms, an aerobics studio and classrooms. The arena is often used by the Munster rugby team.
Its €28 million development was made possible with €7.6 million in government grants, a €6.9million donation from the University of Limerick Foundation, about €4 million in student contributions and commercial funding.[47] Each year, it accommodates over 500,000 customers and many international athletes and teams.[48]
The arena hosted the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games, from 9 to 13 June. In one of the year's largest Irish sporting events, 1,900 Special Olympians from throughout Ireland participated in the games.
All-weather sports complex
UL's €9 million, all-weather sports complex on the North Campus is the largest all-weather sports-field complex in Europe.[citation needed] The multi-purpose, floodlit, artificial turf park has two soccer, one rugby and one GAA pitch. Third-generation all-weather surfaces are similar to natural grass and are designed for full contact. Each full-size pitch can be sub-divided to create smaller playing areas for various sports. The largest artificial-grass development in Ireland to date, it is designed to World Rugby, GAA and FIFA specifications.[citation needed]
The synthetic surface reduces the risk of injury caused by hard or uneven surfaces.[citation needed] The Sports Pavilion Building has changing rooms, squad and coaching rooms and bar, restaurant and conference facilities. The complex is funded from a number of sources, including operating income and campus-based commercial activities.
The playing pitches opened in July 2011, and the Sports Pavilion was expected to open in November 2011.[needs update] The facility is available to the general public as well as the campus community. In addition to these facilities, conventional playing fields, tennis courts, an artificial-turf pitch, an outdoor athletics track and the University Boathouse are on the Limerick side of the river. The boathouse has Ireland's only indoor rowing tank, which can accommodate up to 8 rowers simultaneously. The tank can simulate a variety of water conditions, providing training opportunities for rowers to reach international standards.[citation needed] The building also includes a launch jetty into the Shannon, a pontoon and a café.
Expansion
The Living Bridge over the Shannon on the UL campusThe renovated Physical Education and Sport Sciences buildingThe School of Medicine building, which was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize in architectureThe Irish World Academy (left) and the Health Sciences building, with the School of Medicine in the backgroundAnalog Devices BuildingTierney Building, home to Lero and Nexus
The university's Foundation Building, including the University Concert Hall (home to the Irish Chamber Orchestra), the library and several others, were built during the 1990s. The Materials & Surface Science Institute (MSSI) building, Dromroe Student Village, a sports arena and swimming pool were built between 2000 and 2004. In 2005, the Engineering Research Building and Millstream Courtyard buildings opened in a complex near the Foundation Building.
The Kemmy Business School building was constructed next to the Schuman Building, and will be the world's first business school with a live trading floor.[citation needed] Several new buildings have opened on the north bank of the Shannon. The University Bridge, opened in late 2004, provides road and pedestrian access to the planned North Bank campus. Thomond Village was the first North Bank facility (opening in 2004), followed by the Health Sciences Building in 2005. The Living Bridge, a pedestrian bridge, connects the Millstream Courtyard and the Health Sciences Building. Cappavilla Village was completed in mid-2006 on the North Bank; a building for the Irish World Music Centre (formerly in the Foundation Building basement), began construction in May 2007 and was completed in January 2010. An architectural-faculty building is under construction opposite the CSIS building. The university hopes to expand the North Bank campus to the size of the original campus.
Construction timeline
1972 – Physical Education and Sport Sciences Building (originally home to the Thomond College of Education, and renovated in 2012)
2020 - New Student Centre (under construction) - Construction of the €20 million building began in 2019, however, the contractor for the project, Keating Construction, collapsed into liquidation in February 2021 with debts of €30 million.[50][51] Costs had reached €30 million by 2022, and construction recommenced in 2023 with Monami Construction as the new contractor.[52][53]
2021 - Climbing Wall Centre
Limerick 2030
UL has committed to a presence in Limerick city centre as part of the Limerick 2030 plan[54] to help drive renewal of the city centre. All the university's main faculties are presently in Castletroy, about 5km from the city centre.[55] Former UL president Don Barry outlined his vision of the plan in July 2013: "My dream is that in a few years’ time, there will be hundreds of students of the university participating in the life of the city, learning in the city, recreating in the city and contributing to the revitalisation of the Limerick city centre. Limerick is our city and we are its university."[56]
Limerick is a city in western Ireland, in County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 102,287 at the 2022 census, Limerick is the third-most populous urban area in Ireland, and the fourth-most populous city on the island of Ireland. It was founded by Scandinavian settlers in 812, during the Viking Age.
Dublin City University is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin in 1975, it enrolled its first students in 1980, and was elevated to university status in September 1989 by statute.
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The Limerick Institute of Technology was an institute of technology, located in Limerick, Ireland. The institute had five campuses that were located in Limerick, Thurles, Clonmel, as well as a regional learning centre in Ennis. The main campus was located at Moylish Park in Limerick adjacent to Thomond Park and housed the Faculty of Applied Science, Engineering and Technology and the School of Business and Humanities. The School of Art & Design is located at the Clare Street and Clonmel campuses.
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Cork Institute of Technology was an institute of technology, located in Cork, Ireland. Upon its dissolution, the institute had 17,000 students studying in art, business, engineering, music, drama and science disciplines. The institute had been named as Institute of Technology of the Year in The Sunday Times University Guide for Ireland on numerous occasions. On 1 January 2021, the institute merged with the Institute of Technology, Tralee to become the Munster Technological University, Ireland's second technological university.
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Desmond Fitzgerald is an Irish medical doctor and academic leader. On 6 October 2016, Fitzgerald was announced as the President-elect of the University of Limerick. He took up this role in early 2017, becoming the fifth President. He resigned in May 2020 for "personal health concerns" citing the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to this, Fitzgerald held the positions of Vice President for Health Affairs with University College Dublin and Chief Academic Officer at Ireland East Hospital Group from 2015 to 2016.
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Edward M. Walsh, is the founding president of the University of Limerick, one of two new universities established by Ireland in 1989. He headed the institution from its inception as the National Institute for Higher Education Limerick, in 1970, when he was appointed as chairman of the planning board, and director, through its transformation to a university in 1989, when he was appointed president, until his retirement in 1998, when he was awarded the title of "Founding President" for life.
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