In his speech, Mr Mullins said as the next President of the
Cork Chamber of Commerce, he would like to congratulate the staff at UCC for
providing the region with talent and innovative ideas. “We are excited by the
numbers of patents arising from UCC – more in number than TCD and UCD combined.
These patents need to be incubated locally and we hope that the new Science and
Innovation Park will enhance those opportunities. We look forward to the
IMI-UCC merger, the growth of Tyndall, the establishment of the Marine Energy
Research Centre, the continued advances/announcements in medical science, a
further influx of overseas students and a significant School of Asian Studies”,
he said.
Prior to the
ceremony, the Dean of Graduate Studies, Professor Alan Kelly, hosted a
reception for the large number of students being conferred with PhD degrees,
their guests, and their thesis supervisors. Congratulating the graduands, Professor Kelly said that “being awarded the highest
degree the university bestows is an academic achievement the significance of
which cannot be understated”. UCC
currently has almost 1,500 postgraduate students studying for Masters and PhDs
with a major strategic growth in this area in recent years. The university offers students
programmes across a variety of disciplines in all four Colleges.
__________________
Conferrring Speech by Mr John Mullins,
Chief Executive, Bord Gáis Éireann, 24th March 2011
President, Vice Presidents,
Heads of Colleges, Professors, Conferees, Distinguished Guests
It is a great honour for me
to be asked to speak to this array of talent present in this room – a
collection of talent in which we all have great hopes and aspirations. I am
particularly proud as a twice graduated student of UCC, a member of its
Governing Body and as a relatively young Industrial Leader to share with
you some key thoughts as you embark on new journeys.
It would be difficult for any
speaker in a short period of time to be relevant to all of the disciplines
represented here today but there are common challenges and contexts which apply
to you all. They come in the form of questions?
Were the last
two, three or four years worth it?
Am I a better
person for the experience?
Are my skills
honed and enhanced for pastures new?
Where are
those pastures?
How will I
repay my parents?
We live in troubled times
where pessimism and denial have replaced the giddy search for opportunities –
but these opportunities do exist. It is vitally important that Universities and
those reside within, actively seek these opportunities rather than wallow
within the boundaries of a fine campus.
John Henry Newman said of a
University Education
“If
the actions of men may be taken as any test of their convictions, then we have
reason for saying this, viz.:—that the province and the inestimable benefit of
the litera scripta is that of being a record of truth, and an authority
of appeal, and an instrument of teaching in the hands of a teacher; but that,
if we wish to become exact and fully furnished in any branch of knowledge which
is diversified and complicated, we must consult the living man and listen to
his living voice.”
In
essence whilst we learn much within these grounds, you more than most, it is
only useful if this learning can be applied to the common man – whether in
Arts, Law, Commerce, Medicine or Science. The common man and his betterment
must always be our focus. That focus must be external, it must be ever present.
This
is why I have been very pleased to see the transformation of UCC since my time
here in the late Eighties to an institution which is embracing the best of
international practice. There is, as the President would attest, a bit still to
go.
I
can only assume that the majority of talent here present will enter industry
and the economy generally – in the context of academic moratoria there is little
choice. This is a feature of Universities which is unlikely to change over the
next number of years. This behoves a responsibility on Governing Bodies such as
UCC to ensure that its Graduates at all levels are fit for purpose, can
hopefully be quick starters for an Irish Economy which needs a significant
quick start.
It
is also expected that many of you will leave our shores but we must reflect on
Newman’s wise words when he says:
“You
must imitate the student in French or German, who is not content with his
grammar, but goes to Paris or Dresden: you must take example from the young
artist, who aspires to visit the great Masters in Florence and in Rome.”
I
myself took a route of optional emigration (maybe a luxury of the past but not
a luxury of today) to enhance my skills. Those three years in London provided
me with over ten years of additional experience in my field. An experience that
is now very relevant in the transition of Bord Gáis over the last three years.
I
have very fond memories of my time here, on the field of play, on the stage or
debating with the Philosoph. This University certainly conditioned me to be
leader but I was not always a leader and we do not all need to be leaders – the
world would be a very boring place if that was the case.
Careers
take bohereens and motorways – sometimes the driving is difficult and sometimes
you can get a speeding ticket but more often you have a general direction but
not a specific destination.
My
advice is to expect to learn and want to learn every day of the rest of your career
and life because nothing in the 21st Century stays static.
As
the next President of the Cork Chamber of Commerce I would like to congratulate
the staff at UCC for providing this region with talent such as you and
innovative ideas. We are excited by the numbers of patents arising from UCC –
more in number than TCD and UCD combined. These patents need to be incubated
locally and we hope that the new Science and Innovation Park will enhance those
opportunities. We look forward to the IMI-UCC merger, the growth of Tyndall,
the establishment of the Marine Energy Research Centre, the continued
advances/announcements in medical science, a further influx of overseas
students and a significant School of Asian Studies.
May
I wish you all every success on your road – whatever road it is I hope it is as
straight as can be.
ENDS
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