University College Cork announces appointment of new Head of College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences

17 Jun 2025

• Professor Stephen Graham will join UCC in September 2025.

University College Cork (UCC) has appointed Professor Stephen Graham as the new Head of the College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences. Professor Graham will take up the role on 1 September 2025.

Professor Graham has been a member of the Goldsmith Executive Board and led the Creative Arts and Media Faculty as Executive Dean (and, formerly, the Arts and Humanities School as Head of School), at Goldsmiths, University of London since January 2021. He led the Music Department at Goldsmiths from 2018-2020. Professor Graham worked closely with colleagues and students to develop and nurture positive, creative approaches to teaching and research across the arts, humanities, and social sciences.

Welcoming the appointment, UCC President Professor John O’Halloran said: “Professor Graham’s appointment comes at a time of continued growth for Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at UCC, as reflected in increased research impact and rising international rankings. It underscores the University’s ongoing commitment to our comprehensive university and to fostering academic leadership and its commitment to advancing excellence in research, teaching, and societal engagement, both nationally and globally. We look forward to Stephen joining us later this year.”

In the last two years, Professor Graham co-led a major academic restructure to create new Schools, new academic roles and new governance structures at Goldsmiths, and also led the development of several significant international partnerships. Professor Graham is an active humanities researcher, with two books published in the last two years and a further co-authored book forthcoming, and he created and led the Practice Research Group within Goldsmiths to promote and enhance practice research across the institution.

Professor Graham studied at UCD and King’s College London, completing a PhD at Goldsmiths. His research interests are twentieth and twenty-first century music, including underground, experimental, popular, and art musics; music and cultural theory/philosophy; music and politics; music analysis; music journalism.

Professor Graham said: “I'm delighted to be coming home to Ireland to take up the role at UCC. I have lived in the UK for almost 20 years and my family and I are really excited to make a new home in Cork. I know from friends and colleagues at UCC how much amazing work already goes on in the College; I can't wait to be a part of it.”

Learn more about UCC College of Arts, Celtic Studies and Social Sciences