2008 Press Releases

Minister for Integration, Mr Conor Lenihan, TD visits UCC
25.04.2008

UCC President, Dr Michael Murphy today (Friday, April 25th 2008) welcomed the Minister for Integration, Mr Conor Lenihan, TD to UCC.
The Minister was in UCC to discuss the University’s existing and planned research, teaching and related activities in the fields of migration, integration and the promotion of a diverse intercultural Ireland.

During the course of his visit, the Minister held meetings with academic staff drawn from the Departments of Geography, Computer Science, Government, Law and was introduced to a number of students in migration studies.  Speaking on the major role of higher education in developing an intercultural knowledge based society, Minister Lenihan said: "programmes such as those on offer at UCC and the role of higher education in general, in providing the research, the knowledge and skills, will play a key role in assisting the Government to develop a comprehensive integration strategy."

UCC President, Dr Murphy said that following centuries of emigration, Ireland is now experiencing immigration on an unprecedented scale.  Referring to the MA Programme in Contemporary Migration and Diaspora Studies at UCC, he said “Few opportunities have been available up to now within the Irish university system for focused teaching and research into the Diaspora.”

UCC currently offers the following programmes:
  • the MA programme in Contemporary Migration and Diaspora Studies, the only such programme in the jurisdiction
  • the EU Marie Curie Excellence Programme project on migrant children, a four-year postdoctoral research programme into the lives of migrant children in Ireland
  • the Certificates in Political Issues and Community Action offered to asylum seekers, refugees and migrants by the Department of Government
  • Migration Law and legal research in the area of migration.
Picture shows:  Minister for Integration, Mr Conor Lenihan, TD signing Visitors’ Book seated with UCC President, Dr Michael Murphy.  Back row L-R: Professor John O’Halloran, Vice-Dean, College of Science, Engineering & Food Science, UCC; Piaras Mac Einrí, Department of Geography, UCC; Stephen Bean, Department of Computer Science, UCC; Professor Elizabeth Okasha, Head of Language Centre, UCC.

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