National University of Ireland - Definition and Overview

National University of Ireland
Established	1908
Location	Dublin, Republic of Ireland
Alumni	200,000
Chancellor	Dr Garret FitzGerald
Address	49 Merrion Square Dublin 2 Ireland
Phone	+353-1-439 2424
Homepage	http://www.nui.ie
Member of	EUA

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 (http://www.bopcris.ac.uk/eppi1900/ref1843.html), as amended by the Universities Act, 1997 (http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/1997_24.html). 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.

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
• St Angela's College of Education, Sligo
• National College of Art and Design
• Shannon College of Hotel Management
• Institute of Public Administration

Evolution

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, in addition to the restructuring of the National University of Ireland, an additional university at Maynooth was created from certain faculties of the previous recognised college, St Patrick's College, Maynooth.

See also

• Education in Ireland
• List of Irish Universities

External link

• Official site - National University of Ireland (http://www.nui.ie/)