National University of Ireland
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Template:IrishUniInfoBox The National University of Ireland (NUI) is a federal university system of constituent universities, previously called constituent colleges, and recognised colleges set up under the Irish Universities Act, 1908, and significantly amended by the Universities Act, 1997. The constituent universities are for all essential purposes independent universities, except that the degrees and diplomas are those of the National University of Ireland. The current chancellor of the university is Garret FitzGerald.
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Associated institutions
The constituent universities are:
- University College Cork - National University of Ireland, Cork
- University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin
- National University of Ireland, Galway
- National University of Ireland, Maynooth
The recognised colleges are:
- Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland
- National College of Art and Design
- Milltown Institute of Theology and Philosophy
- Shannon College of Hotel Management
- Institute of Public Administration
Former recognised colleges, and their years of recognition, are:
- Mary Immaculate College of Education, Limerick (1975 - 1994)
- National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick (1976 -1977)
- Our Lady of Mercy College, Carysfort (1975 - 1988)
- St. Angela's College, Sligo (1978 - 2005)†
- St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra (1975 - 1995)
- St. Patrick's College, Maynooth (1910 - 1997)
- Thomond College of Education, Limerick (1976 - 1977)
† St. Angela's College maintains its links to the National University of Ireland by been "A College of the National University of Ireland, Galway" from January 2006. This is the first such relationship between a Constituent University and a college.
History
The 1845 the Queen's Colleges at Belfast, Cork, and Galway were established, in 1849 teaching commenced and a year later they were united under the Queen's University of Ireland. The Catholic University of Ireland was created as an independent university in Dublin in 1854 for the education of Catholics, this university however was neither a recognised university nor offered recognised degrees. In 1880 the Royal University of Ireland took over the degree awarding functions of the two former universities and offered recognised degrees to the graduates of the new University College Dublin, previously awarded under the Catholic University.
The 1908 reforms dissolved the Royal University and created the current National University of Ireland and a separate Queen's University of Belfast. The 1997 reforms restructured the National University of Ireland, and an additional university at Maynooth was created from certain faculties of the previous recognised college, St Patrick's College, Maynooth. Also the prohibitions on theology where removed, which had also been a characteristic of the predecessor universities.
Legislative constituency
Since 1918 the university has been a constituency in parliamentary elections to various bodies. Under the Constitution of Ireland, adopted in 1937, the graduates of the university elect three members of Seanad Éireann (the senate).
The most recent election in 2002, of the 22nd Seanad, resulted in the election of Joe O'Toole (Independent), Feargal Quinn (Independent) and Brendan Ryan (Labour Party).
Current issues
Within the university there is a common faculty structure in operation in the constituent universities. These ten faculties are: Agriculture; Arts; Celtic Studies; Commerce; Engineering & Architecture; Food Science & Technology; Law; Medicine & Health Sciences; Philosophy & Sociology; Science; and Veterinary Medicine. Current issues within the National University include reform of the departmental structures of the two largest constituent universities, at Cork and Dublin, which have been criticised for being bureaucratic and cumbersome. This has caused some controversy at national level: the presidents of the constituent universities have heavily promoted the idea of reform whilst rank-and-file academic staff have resisted.
See also
- Education in the Republic of Ireland
- List of universities in the Republic of Ireland
- Postgraduate Applications Centre
External link
| Universities of Ireland |
| Republic of Ireland: Dublin City University | National University of Ireland | University of Dublin | University of Limerick |
| NUI Constituent Universities: Cork | Dublin | Galway | Maynooth |
| DU Constituent College: Trinity College, Dublin |
| Northern Ireland: Queen's University of Belfast | University of Ulster | Open University in Ireland |
| QUB University Colleges: St. Mary's | Stranmillis |
| Other degree awarding authorities in Ireland |
| Dublin Institute of Technology | Higher Education and Training Awards Council | King's Inns | Pontifical University of Maynooth | Presbyterian Theological Faculty Ireland |