The outstanding contribution of Maynooth University to the education system and teaching profession in Ireland was underlined at today’s official opening of its €14.1 million School of Education by two of its proud alumni - Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh, TD, and Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor, TD.
The building provides an important centre for Maynooth to build on its strength in providing outstanding teacher education, innovative education research, and in preparing a new generation of education leaders.
It is providing capacity for the rapid growth in student enrolment to the University’s three education departments, which has expanded from 700 to 1,400 since 2014.
With a history in teacher education dating back to 1926, Maynooth University is unique in Ireland as the first institution providing the full spectrum of teacher education from early childhood to adult education.
Maynooth produces more than 600 education graduates each year who make a vital
contribution to our education system. This includes early childhood education, primary teachers, second level teachers, higher education teachers, and guidance counsellors and school leaders.
Maynooth University is also a centre for research in education, with over 80 people engaged in doctoral degrees in education, including adult education.
Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh, TD, who graduated from Maynooth University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1992, and a Higher Diploma in Education in 1993, said:
“Maynooth’s record in Irish education is a long and proud one – defined not only by excellence and evidence-based research, but by its understanding of the roles teachers can play in shaping lives and indeed communities.
Because of its core belief that widening access to higher education and teacher
education should go hand in hand, Maynooth University is broadening the definition of who can be a teacher.
Its influence reaches into every county in Ireland, and I am sure in some cases, to every
secondary school in every county as well as a growing number of primary schools.
“For those of us who studied here, our memories are extremely happy and rich and we see the quality of Maynooth in our colleagues throughout the teaching profession going back generations.”
Speaking at the opening of the building Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD, who graduated with a Master of Education Degree (M.Ed.) in 2002, said: “Maynooth University has been a beacon of leadership in teacher education for generations and continues to innovate to show us the way into the future.
"This is vital not only for the development of our young and not-so-young students, but also for our national competitiveness.
"This superb new building will help facilitate the continuance of their mission.”
Maynooth University President, Professor Philip Nolan, said the opening of the School of Education helps centralise and crystallise the University’s offering.
“This new home for teacher education and education research at Maynooth will enable the University to continue to build upon decades of outstanding work by our academics and graduates, whether in the classroom, as school leaders, or as policymakers.
"Being the first Irish university to offer the full spectrum of teacher education under one roof is a wonderful achievement, but it also speaks symbolically to the inclusive and holistic approach we take to education.
"We view our role as preparing teachers as leaders in society, as role models that can diversify the teaching profession, and as experts in providing evidence-based research to inform decision-making.
"This new building serves as an academic hive for these activities, and will help us develop a teaching profession and infrastructure to serve Ireland’s needs over the coming decades.”
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