University of Limerick is pleased to announce Professor Colin Fitzpatrick as the new Vice President Global and Community Engagement. With over two decades of academic leadership and a distinguished career at UL, Professor Fitzpatrick brings extensive expertise in fostering global connections and enhancing community partnerships. As Vice President, he will lead the development of a comprehensive global engagement strategy, focusing on building strategic international partnerships, enhancing UL’s teaching and research and excellence, and deepening our 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 also gained invaluable international experience during his time 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 and 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 will serve as lead for the UL coordinated EMERGE European University Alliance, bringing together nine universities from across Europe with the common goal to help build a more equitable, sustainable and prosperous society for peripheral regions.
Professor Fitzpatrick’s commitment to community engagement and sustainability is also 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.
A prolific researcher, Professor Fitzpatrick has published extensively in top-tier journals, with his work cited widely in policy documents internationally. 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.