Professor Colin Fitzpatrick is the (Interim) Vice President of Global and Community Engagement at University of Limerick since January 2025. With over two decades of academic leadership and a distinguished career at UL, he brings extensive expertise in fostering global connections and enhancing community partnerships. As Vice President, he leads the development of a comprehensive global engagement strategy, focusing on building strategic international partnerships, enhancing UL’s teaching and research excellence, and deepening ties with local and regional communities. His vision includes fostering inclusive and sustainable educational opportunities that align with UL’s mission and values.
Professor Fitzpatrick holds a PhD in Electronic Engineering from University of Limerick, where his research focused on optical fibre sensors for environmental applications. He has been a member of the Faculty of Science & Engineering since 2001 and has gained invaluable international experience as a Visiting Research Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration (IZM) in Berlin.
Over the years, he has taken on various leadership roles, including Head of the Department of Electronic & Computer Engineering. He is recognised for his leadership during the establishment of the Limerick International College at Henan Polytechnic University in China. Other contributions to international education during his term as Head of Department include leading the development of joint-degree programs with international institutions and introducing taught master’s degrees with strong international appeal.
As an experienced coordinator of several EU-funded international consortia, he serves as lead for the UL-coordinated EMERGE European University Alliance, bringing together nine universities from across Europe with the common goal of building a more equitable, sustainable, and prosperous society for peripheral regions.
Professor Fitzpatrick’s commitment to community engagement and sustainability is noteworthy. As Chair of the UL Environmental Committee, he spearheaded initiatives such as the UL Farmers Market, the Community Roofgarden, and the nationally acclaimed E-Mining@School project, which integrates sustainability education into secondary schools.
Professor Fitzpatrick has published extensively in top-tier journals, with his work widely cited in international policy documents. He has managed over €5.5 million in research funding and served as editor of the leading environmental engineering journal, Resources, Conservation & Recycling. His efforts in advancing the circular economy and sustainability have earned him international recognition.