A MOTION from lecturers calling for Mary Immaculate College (MIC) to be formally recognised as a university has been passed unanimously.
Lecturers from MIC brought forward their motion to the Irish Federation of University Teachers’ (IFUT) Annual Delegate Conference in Ballsbridge last Saturday (May 17).
The motion from the proud MIC academics urged the third-level teachers’ union to engage directly with key government departments – including the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation, and Science and the Department of Education – to advocate for a strategic review and formal upgrade of MIC’s institutional status to that of a university.
Robert McNamara, assistant general secretary of IFUT, said that “Mary Immaculate College is already functioning at a university level – in terms of its academic programmes, research impact, and standards of excellence”.
“Yet its current designation does not reflect the work being done by staff or the expectations placed upon them. This motion seeks to right that imbalance by charting a clear path toward university status, with appropriate structures, funding, and recognition in place.”
The motion also calls for a stategic review of Mary I’s institutional designation, and for the college to engage with policymakers to create a structured pathway for MIC’s transition, addressing issues such as governance, funding, staffing, and pay parity with over universities in Limerick and across Ireland.
Following the motion’s unanimous passing, the IFUT will now seek immediate engagement with college management at MIC and the Department of Further and Higher Education.
