What did you do? Reflecting on your time at Plassey
Have you special memories of UL or its founding institution NIHE down through the years?
If you do, we would love to invite you to take part in a special project to gather the reflections and memories of those who studied and worked in Plassey during it’s almost 50 years.
Alumni from NIHE, the National College of Physical Education and Thomond, as well as UL graduates are being asked to recall their experiences of life and learning in Limerick.
The dedicated webpage here has been established where alumni and retired staff can upload their personal stories. All will be collected and archived for the future. Some will be used as part of the celebrations as part of an intended publication and exhibition.
As you know, next year is the 50th anniversary of the foundation of University of Limerick. We plan to mark this occasion with twelve months of programmed events from May 2022 that look to the future and remember our past.
This period will be an opportunity to showcase the University’s strengths in research and learning, to highlight what our staff and alumni have achieved and to anticipate what UL might aspire to in the next fifty years.
UL’s strength has always been its creative approach to teaching. UL pioneered the concept of Cooperative Education, recognising the disruptive value of switching sites of learning between the classroom and the workplace.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, our staff, students and researchers adapted to online learning and supported the national and international effort to tackle coronavirus and its effects on society.
UL FIFTY gives us the chance to celebrate this spirit of innovation.
The University’s origins go back to the National Institute for Higher Education and Thomond College of Education in Limerick.
When these institutions were established in the early 1970s, the Watergate scandal consumed international attention, as did the launch of NASA’s Space Shuttle Program, and those in Ireland anticipated what entry into the European Economic Community might hold.
The first new university created since the foundation of the state, our Plassey campus on the banks of the River Shannon is renowned for its natural beauty. UL is fortunate among European universities in that we continue to have ample space for recreation, for sport and for sustainable development.
Now it is time to look to the future as UL continues to transform education and research in Ireland, providing innovative and sustainable solutions to global problems; to revitalise or create connections with our alumni, and with our local, national and international community; and to reflect on our values and history as a University.
Over five decades, our University has shaped the lives of thousands of individuals. UL FIFTY is a significant occasion and a chance to share your stories and celebrate the role the University of Limerick has played in your life, and for us all to decide what we would like to achieve in the next fifty.
A special project to gather the reflections and memories of those who studied and worked in Plassey is now underway to mark the University’s foundation.
Mary Harney
Chancellor, University of Limerick
If you have an idea, a memory to share or would like to support UL FIFTY, get in touch with the team: click the link or email fiftyyears@ul.ie