Our Team

The International Office is the central administrative unit with responsibility for coordinating international strategy, refining tactics, and administering processes to deliver on UCC’s global goals. To achieve these, The International Office works with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders, service providers, and collaborators.

The professional teams in the International Office are organised around four broad domains: Strategy & Engagement, Student Support, Admissions, and Mobility. The responsibilities of these units overlap by design; the student journey from awareness, through admission, into enrolment, and then on to successful completion of programme requires a range of coordinated actions.

International Office Organisational Structure

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All

Name Title Phone Email Role

Dr Christopher Brown 
BA, MA, PhD, PG Dip

Director, International Office +353 21 490 4721 christopher.brown@ucc.ie

Christopher has been Head of the International Office since 2014. He has overall responsibility for the international affairs. Linkedin

Marita Foster
BA, MA, DipIrHMangt

Deputy Director International +353 21 490 4722 m.foster@ucc.ie Marita has worked in the International Office since 1993. She is responsible for the overall management of admissions and mobility functions.

Mobility

Name Title Phone Email Role
Clare Murphy Erasmus Manager +353 21 490 4726 claremurphy@ucc.ie Clare has worked in the International Office since 1999.  She is responsible for the management of the Erasmus Programme.
Karen McSweeney Visiting Student Manager  +353 21 490 4727  k.mcsweeney@ucc.ie Karen has worked in the International Office since 1999.  She is responsible for the management of incoming visiting students from outside of the EU.  
Mary-Bríd Murphy Senior Executive Assistant +353 21 490 4723  mb.murphy@ucc.ie Mary-Bríd has worked in the International Office since 2014. She is responsible for incoming and outgoing student mobility outside of the EU.  
Jim McEvoy Erasmus Administrator +353 21 490 4747  jim.mcevoy@ucc.ie Jim has worked in the International Office since 2019. He is responsible for the management of the Incoming Erasmus Students. 

Admissions

Name Title Phone Email Role

Ciara McKernan
BA, HDip BFIS

Non-EU Undergraduate Admissions Manager +353 21 490 4728 c.mckernan@ucc.ie Ciara has worked in the International Office since 2006. She manages non-EU admissions for Undergraduate degrees across four UCC Colleges.

Manuela Kovacevic
BA, MA

Executive Assistant +353 21 4904 748 manuela.kovacevic@ucc.ie Manuela has worked in the International Office since 2018. She supports the International Undergraduate Admissions Team. 

Anne-Marie Scarry
BA

Non-EU Postgraduate Administrative Officer +353 21 490 4724 annemarie.scarry@ucc.ie Anne-Marie is the Team Lead for postgraduate admissions and has responsibility for all PG taught and research applications.  
Anna O'Sullivan Non-EU Taught Postgraduate Admissions Coordinator + 353 21 490 4746  anna.osullivan@ucc.ie Anna has worked in the International Office since 2019.  She is responsible for Non-EU taught PG applications to the School of Law; College of Medicine and Health; College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences; CITRL.
Deirdre Weir Non-EU Taught Postgraduate Admissions Coordinator +353 21 490 4745 deirdre.weir@ucc.ie Deirdre has worked in the UCC International Office since 2021. She is responsible for non-EU taught postgraduate applications to the College of Science, Engineering & Food Science.

Lizzy MacKenzie
BSc

Executive Assistant

+ 353 21 490 4734  lmackenzie@ucc.ie Lizzy has worked in the International Office since 2021. She is responsible for postgraduate applications in Cork University Business School.
Sandra Cagney Non-EU Postgraduate Research Admissions +353 21 490 4734 scagney@ucc.ie Sandra has worked in the International Office since 2022.  She is responsible for processing research applications and all change of request applications for current research students.

Student Support

Name Title Phone Email Role

Suzanne Buckley
BA, MA

Student Support Officer +353 21 490 4725 s.buckley@ucc.ie Suzanne has worked in the International Office since 2002 She leads the International Student Support function.

Natalie O'Byrne
BA (LCS), BA (Psych) 

Student Support Administrator +353 21 490 3490 natalie.obyrne@ucc.ie Natalie has worked in the International Office since 2018.  She supports the International Student Support function.

Strategy & Engagement

Name Title Phone Email Role
Gary Hurley Administrator +353 21 490 4724 g.hurley@ucc.ie Gary has worked in the International Office since 2006. He administers internal UCC processes and compliance.
Deirdre Crone Events Coordinator +353 21 490 4738 d.crone@ucc.ie  Deirdre has worked in the International Office since 2010. She administers internationalisation activities and events in Cork.

Olivia Frawley
BBS, MBA

Administrator +353 21 490 4743 o.frawley@ucc.ie Olivia has worked in the International Office since 2014.  She supports international strategy and administers the Global Steering Group (GSG) and Regional Working Groups (RWGs) 

Mike Barry
BComm, MSc

Executive Assistant +353 21 490 4743 mike.barry@ucc.ie Mike has worked in the International Office since 2023. He provides administrative support to the Strategy & Engagement team across the range of functions.

Sharon Dillane
BA (Hons), MBA

Communications Advisor +353 21 490 4716 sharon.dillane@ucc.ie

Sharon has worked in the International Office since 2015. She is the strategic lead for global outreach & engagement communications projects. Linkedin

Michael O’Sullivan
BSc, MSc

Agent Manager +353 87 828 8644 michael.osullivan@ucc.ie

Michael has worked in the International Office since 2016.  He manages and oversees UCC’s global student recruitment agencies. Linkedin

Emma Connolly
BA, MPhil, PG Dip

Strategy Officer, China

+353 21 490 4730

e.connolly@ucc.ie

Emma has worked in the International Office since 2006. She currently oversees UCC’s engagement with China and is Vice Chair of the China Regional Working Group. Linkedin

Dr Christopher Shepard
BA, MA, PhD

Strategy Officer, South Asia and ASEAN

+353 21 490 4743

c.shepard@ucc.ie 

Christopher has worked in the International Office 2012.  He oversees UCC’s engagement with South Asia and the ASEAN nations, and is Vice Chair of the Regional Working Groups. Linkedin
Cliona Maher
BA, PG Dip
Strategy Officer, Latin America & the Caribbean +353 86 014 7630

Cliona.Maher@ucc.ie

Cliona has worked in the International Office since 2015.  She oversees UCC’s engagement with Latin America and the Caribbean, is Vice Chair of the Latin America Regional Working Group and an associate of UCC’s Centre for Global Development. 
Marita Foster
BA, MA, DipIrHMangt
Strategy Officer, North America (acting) +353 21 490 4722 

m.foster@ucc.ie

Marita has worked in the International Office since 1993. She oversees UCC’s engagement with North America, and is Vice Chair of the Regional Working Group.
Margaret Cardosi
BA, MA
North American Officer +1 646 637 1724 

margaret.cardosi@ucc.ie

Margaret has worked in the International Office since 2020. She represents UCC in North America, and is based in New York City.  Linkedin

Vaidehi Garigipati
BA, PGDip, MBA 

Director, South Asia +91 989 175 5943 

Vaidehi.garigipati@ucc.ie

Vaidehi has worked in the International Office since 2019. She heads UCC’s South Asia Office and is based in New Delhi, India. Linkedin

Debalina Roy
BA, PG, MBA

Senior Manager, India +91 987 407 5999

droy@ucc.ie

Debalina has worked in the International Office since 2021. She supports UCC’s India Office and is based in New Delhi, India. Linkedin
Lillian Luo
BA, MSc
Head of Shanghai Office, China +86 216 077 7297

lluo@ucc.ie

Lillian has worked in the International Office since 2021. She is the Head of UCC’s Shanghai Office. Linkedin
Yawen Ren
BA, MA
Marketing Specialist, Shanghai Office +86 216 077 7297 

yren@ucc.ie 

Yawen has worked in the International Office since 2022. She supports UCC’s Shanghai Office. Linkedin
Bei Zhang
BA, MA, EMBA, PG Dip
Head of Beijing Representative Office, China +86 186 009 09826

bei.zhang@ucc.ie

Bei has worked with the International Office since 2010. She is the Head of the UCC’s Beijing Representative Office. Linkedin

International Office

Oifig Idirnáisiúnta

Roseleigh, Western Road, Cork, T12 R229

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