University of Sanctuary Sub-Group
The purpose of this group is to oversee the implementation of the commitments made under by UCD under its University of Sanctuary status and to engage with the National University of Sanctuary Ireland Committee. The group will address the wider challenges experienced by those who are from a refugee, asylum seeking and other forced migration background and investigate the development of a process in relation to academics from a forced migration background coming to UCD.
Page Updated: 19th July 2022
Membership
- Assoc. Prof. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh (Co-Chair) - School of Social Policy, Social Work & Social Justice
- Assoc. Prof. Liam Thornton (Co-Chair) - School of Law
- Aoife Dare - Irish Refugee Council
- Professor Joe Carthy - College of Science Administration Office
- Professor Bryan Fanning - School of Social Policy, Social Work & Social Justice.
- Dr Bairbre Fleming - Access and Life Long Learning
- David Kelly - Finance Office
- Caroline Mangan - UCD Global
- Dr Paul McCabe- School of Biology and Environmental Science
- Aisling O’Grady - Student Advisory Service
- Ella Mikonen, HR
- Jacqueline Mahon - UCD Foundation
- Mark McDonnell - UCD Foundation
- Dr Graham Finlay - School of Politics and International Relations
- Professor Maria Baghramian - School of Philosophy
- Lara Morais - UCD Global
- Therese Fitzgerald, UCD Access & Lifelong Learning
- Sheena McLoughlin, UCD Foundation
- Sofia Ntaliou, PhD Student
- Marcellina Fogarty - EDI Unit
- Joanna O’Keeffe - EDI Unit
UCD Response to Afghanistan Crisis
The UCD community is deeply concerned about those who have been put at risk by recent events in Afghanistan, including higher education faculty, staff, and students. We recognise the multiple challenges faced by colleagues and students both in Afghanistan and in Ireland as they experience grave uncertainties about families and friends while seeking to sustain academic work and study. We recognise the particular challenges faced by women and girls and those working in the peace building and human rights fields. Higher education institutions have unique capacities and responsibilities to support ongoing research and education in contexts of displacement. We recognise the immense good that has arisen from giving sanctuary to displaced scholars and students, both for individuals and societies, over many decades.
Members of the UCD community are currently working with partners specialising in supporting academics at risk with the objective of bringing a number of academics to UCD from Afghanistan in order to enable them to sustain and develop their research. UCD is also engaging with current students from Afghanistan to offer support and is working with the higher education sector in Ireland to identify opportunities to support students from Afghanistan whose studies may be disrupted and who could be accommodated in UCD programmes. The Chair of UCD’s University of Sanctuary Committee, Dr. Muireann Ní Raghallaigh, stated: “As a University of Sanctuary we are committed to working collaboratively with our colleagues in the University of Sanctuary Ireland network and with Government and civil society to play our part in responding to the crisis. While the challenges are immense, we firmly believe that if individual institutions like ours act, we can make a significant difference.”
University of Sanctuary scholars
Congratulations to all University of Sanctuary scholars on their recent graduation! Pictured here is Precious Matumba with University of Sanctuary sub group co chair Muireann Ní Raghallaigh. Congrats to Precious on her graduation from the Professional Masters in Social Work.
