A WELL respected stalwart of the Limerick education community is set to retire at the beginning of next year.
The Governing Body of the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) was informed this Monday (May 25) that the university’s founding President, Professor Vincent Cunnane, will retire on January 31 next year.
Professor Cunnane led TUS since its establishment in October 2021, taking the university from formation through integration and into consolidation, operating across campuses in Limerick, Athlone, Ennis, Clonmel, and Thurles, a statement from the university said.
Before the establishment of TUS, Professor Cunnane served as president of the previous Limerick Institue of Technology, which he joined in 2016 after leaving his position as president at IT Sligo.
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He also held the office of Chief Executive Officer at Shannon Development until its merger with Shannon Airport to form the Shannon Group.
Prior to his work in Shannon, he held the position of Vice President of Reseach at the University of Limerick, where he also lectured and researched between 1990 and 2008.
He has made a name internationally as a researcher in physical electrochemistry, and served as the chair of the governing council of the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies for 10 years.
Speaking on the annoucement of his retirement, the Donegal native said: “It has been the privilege of my career to lead the establishment of TUS and to serve the staff, students and communities of the Midlands and Mid West.”
“Building a technological university is a once-in-a-generation undertaking, and the credit for what has been achieved belongs to colleagues across all of our campuses, who have given so much to the project.
“With our first strategic plan drawing to a close, our structures embedded, and TUS now firmly established within the Irish and European higher education landscape, this is the right moment to step back and to enable a new president to lead the university into its next stage of evolution”
Praising the TUS leader, TUS governing body chair, Josephine Feehily, said that Professor Cunnane “has rendered exceptional service to Irish higher education, to the region and to TUS”.
“On behalf of the Governing Body, I want to record our sincere appreciation to Vincent for his vision, leadership, and commitment. The energy and personal qualities he brought to the position of President of TUS have been outstanding.”