2020
Retirement of Professor Patrick O’Shea, President of University College Cork
At a meeting of the Governing Body (GB) of University College Cork (UCC) this afternoon, the Chairperson, Dr Catherine Day informed the GB that the President, Professor Patrick O’Shea, has decided to retire from UCC by the end of the year. Professor O’Shea’s decision is due to personal reasons, and his resignation has been accepted by the GB.
Dr Day said; “I would like to thank President O’Shea for the outstanding contribution he has made to UCC. His lifelong commitment to UCC began when he studied here in the 1970s. When he commenced his role as President in 2017, he brought huge experience of top-level university education in the United States back to Cork. This has helped UCC to think big and to expand its international activities both in research and in the diversity of its students. President O’Shea has been a strong advocate of the importance and value of higher education to individuals and to society. He has also been a strong advocate of gender equality, diversity and inclusion. On behalf of the Governing Body, I want to thank him for what he has helped UCC to achieve in recent years and wish him, and his family, well for the future”. During Professor O’Shea’s tenure, UCC improved its performance in international rankings, rising 52 places in the QS ranking in the last two years, making UCC the fastest-rising university in Ireland.
President O’Shea said; “UCC is an extraordinary university, with amazing students, staff and alumni. I am honoured to have served as its 15th President. It particularly gratifies me to note how well UCC responded to the COVID-19 epidemic. The crisis has brought out the best in the UCC community. We moved our operation online in a matter of days, while also deploying our resources at the front line in support of the direct healthcare response. The further steps we are taking will place UCC in a strong position to weather the storm and emerge as a more resilient and transformed University. I am committed to working with the Governing Body and my colleagues in our University Management Team to ensure a smooth transition to new leadership”.
At its meeting in September, the Governing Body will discuss the next steps in recruiting a new President for UCC.