In 2009, the Student Affairs Division established the Community Liaison Office to support and promote strong and meaningful links with our external communities.   The CLO civic engagement strategy is directed towards sustaining, promoting and developing; student volunteering, student led volunteering, and community based research and learning across communities and across UL disciplines and services.   The CLO is committed to enhancing the experiences of communities, HEI students and staff through emancipatory based civic engagement activities and practices.

The most important strength of the CLO is the willingness of students, community organisations and groups, UL colleagues, and educational partners across the sectors to collaborate on the development and delivery of initiatives that are mutually beneficial to all involved.

In 2010, the Student Affairs Division through the CLO established the President's Volunteer Award (PVA) to sustain, promote, support and formally acknowledge the contribution student volunteers make to their communities and vice versa. There are 6 level of awards click here for more information on these and how to apply for a PVA.   The PVA is a powerful example of meaningful and mutually beneficial HEI collaborations.  The CLO co-ordinates and manages student volunteering through the PVA.

In 2013, the Student Affairs Division through the CLO promoted student volunteering and student led engagement across the higher education sector through its work with Campus Engage.  Campus Engage is a national network for the promotion of civic engagement activities across all higher education institutions in Ireland.  It aims to strengthen the relationship between higher education and the wider society, through the promotion of civic engagement activities in higher education and facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources between academic and civic communities.  This falls within the broader objectives of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 see Campus Engage.  

In 2016, the University of Limerick through the CLO's work with Campus Engage launched StudentVolunteer.ie.   This is the first national online management system designed to support, promote and record higher education student volunteering and student led engagement with internal and external communities across Ireland and beyond.  

In 2023, the CLO embarked on a comprehensive internal review of its mission and strategies. As a result of this strategic analyse, the decision was made to rebrand as the Student Volunteering Office, fondly referred to as SVO. This name change mirrors the evolution of our commitment while retaining our core dedication to empowering student volunteers and furthering the culture of community engagement.

The transformation to the Student Volunteering Office (SVO) signifies our continued pursuit of excellence in facilitating and recording student-led initiatives that impact communities, both within Ireland and across borders. The SVO remains resolute in its endeavours to empower students as agents of positive change, carrying forward the legacy established by StudentVolunteer.ie. and reinforcing the University of Limerick's distinctive position at the forefront of student engagement and community enrichment.