UCC's Adult Continuing Education (ACE) meeting in Limerick, 3rd May 2012

Lifelong Learning Festival Events

Open Book Event: As part of the Cork Lifelong Learning Festival, Adult Continuing Education, UCC hosted an enlightening Interactive open book session on Friday March 30^th 2012.  Chaired by Regina Sexton, local food historian, the session guided members of the audience through the works and readings of well known local authors and their newest publications.  Among the authors to read from their books were Emeritus Professor John A. Murphy (Where Finbarr Played – A Concise Illustrated History of Sport in University College Cork 1911-2011), Dr. Joan McCarthy (End of Life Care: Ethics & Law), Dr. Eibhear Walshe (Oscar’s Shadow: Wilde, Homosexuality and Modern Ireland), Mary Malone (Where There’s A Will) and Catherine Fennell (Home Grow and Cook What You Sow).  The event was highly enjoyable, informative and inspirational.

Celebration of 65 Years: In conjunction with this event, ACE celebrated 65 years of educational services to the community with an exhibition and Powerpoint presentation.  UCC was the first University in the Republic to offer Adult Education awards.  The first Diploma in Social and Economic Science was formally opened at a public meeting in UCC on 14^th November 1946 by Dr. Alfred O’Rahilly and 24 students were awarded the Diploma in June 1948.

Hands on Workshop: A hands on, interactive computer workshop on social media and Smartphones run by Imogen Bertin.  The emphasis of this workshop was on effective communication rather than technology and was a free taster for Adult Continuing Education’s short course ‘Social Media Skills; an Introduction’.

Photo: Regina Sexton, Dr Joan McCarthy, Dr Eibhear Walshe, Mary Malone, Emeritus Professor John A Murphy, Catherine Fennell and Dr Séamus Ó Tuama, Director, Adult Continuing Education, UCC

UCC Graduates Celebrate 65 Years of Adult Learning

UCC's Adult Continuing Education began celebrations of its 65^thyear with conferring ceremonies in 26 programmes on Saturday, 3rd December, 2011.

Students from all over Munster and other parts of Ireland received awards in a wide range of programmes from the Certificate in Legal Studies up to the MA Learning and Development (Consultancy).

Lifelong learning began at UCC in 1946, when then President Alfred O'Rahilly made it the first Irish University to launch outreach education programmes.  The diversity of programmes and the backgrounds of students have changed considerably over the decades, but the Centre has maintained a commitment to delivering programems to the highest academic standards by combining the academic wealth of UCC with the wider education and training community.

The graduation ceremony acknowledged the educational achievements of the students, many of whom have combined their learning with work and family commitments.  In the traditions of lifelong learning the ceremony engages with the wider community through family and friends and also by including commencement addresses from former graduates of Adult Continuing Education.  This year former graduate Commodore Frank Lynch (Rtd) gave the commencement address.

Professor Grace Neville, Vice-President for Teaching and Learning presided over the event.  The newly appointed Director Dr Séamus Ó Tuama also delivered an address at the ceremonies.  A special visual retrospective of the 65 years of lifelong learning at UCC also formed part of the day's events.

Photo: Dr Séamus Ó Tuama - newly appointed Director of Adult Continuing Education, UCC with Diploma in Youth and Community Work graduates Noreen Moore, Mary O'Brien, Kieran McNamara, Aisling McSweeney and Programme Coordinator Christine Chasaide.