Ireland's first woman university president has been appointed at the University of Limerick.
Following an open competition, the Chancellor of UL’s Governing Authority, Mary Harney, has confirmed the appointment of Professor Kerstin Mey as the Interim President of University of Limerick.
Professor Mey, the current Vice President Academic Affairs and Student Engagement at UL, will replace outgoing president Dr Des Fitzgerald, who announced his intention to retire in May.
She said: “It is a significant opportunity and also a huge challenge and I will be aiming to work with all staff, students, Governing Authority, the communities UL serves, our stakeholders in the city and the region and of course the government to underpin the role that universities will play in the economic recovery as we manage the pandemic.
“I would like to wish the outgoing President Dr Des Fitzgerald all the very best for his future and thank him for his contribution in envisioning and advancing the institution over his term in office.
“We will work to further strengthen UL’s strong presence in the region, its national leadership and European and global reach.
“We will build on and grow our translational research, knowledge exchange and innovation drive, alongside challenge-based, work-integrated and engaged learning approaches to address pressing societal challenges.”
