Name and Title:
Jim Miley
Director General
Phone: +353 (1) 676 4948
Email: jim.miley@iua.ie
Description: As Director General, Jim leads the IUA as the representative voice for Ireland’s research-led universities. Jim has extensive experience across a variety of commercial, communications and campaigning roles and provides leadership to the sector at a time of significant change and challenge. An economist and Chartered Director, he was Project Director of The Gathering 2013, following a decade as co-founder and CEO of MyHome.ie. He has previously held a number of other senior roles including Business to Consumer Director at The Irish Times, General Secretary of Fine Gael and Chief Executive of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, having spent his early career as a journalist at RTE and a volunteer with Concern. Jim is also a Director of Sightsavers Ireland. He is a Rossie exile now living in Dublin!
Name and Title:
Marguerita Lardner
Office Manager & Administrative Secretary
Phone: +353 (1) 676 4948
Email: marguerita.lardner@iua.ie
Description: Marguerita Lardner is Administrative Secretary and Office Manager at IUA. Our longest serving member of staff, she is secretary to IUA Council, the VP/Deans of Research and Research Officers Groups.
Name and Title:
Lia O’Sullivan MPRII
Head of Communications
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6022
Email: lia.osullivan@iua.ie
Description: Lia O’Sullivan is Head of Communications at the Irish Universities Association. She is responsible for managing IUA’s external and internal Communications, Marketing and Events. Lia convenes the IUA Communications Directors Group and provides marketing advice and practical communications assistance to many university groups. She is currently a member of the studentsurvey.ie, Campus Engage and DARE HEAR Communications Working Groups, and the Rapid Response Task Force on Substance Abuse in Third Level. Prior to IUA Lia was Partner Relations and Events Manager at MIT’s Media Lab Europe. Lia joined Media Lab Europe from Shannon Communications Group Ltd, which includes Purple Moon Productions, a broad based Communications, PR and Video Production Company where she was Account Manager and Senior Partner. Lia began her professional career with the Bill O’Herlihy Communications Group as an account manager, video and television producer. Lia holds a BA (Hons.) in Media Studies from the University of Ulster at Coleraine, a Graduate Diploma ((1st Class Hons.) in Public Relations and a certificate in Social Media from the PRII. She is a member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland
Name and Title:
Andrea Bruton
Media and Digital Content Officer
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6033
Email: andrea.bruton@iua.ie
Description: Andrea Bruton is the Media and Digital Content Officer for the IUA. Reporting to the Head of Communications she is responsible for assisting in all areas of IUA’s external and internal communications and marketing activities, leading on media, social media and digital content. Andrea completed a BA (Hons) in Creative Digital Media from Munster Technological University (MTU) and completed a Certificate in Digital Marketing from MTU while working as a Videographer with University College Cork. Formerly Content Manager in the financial sector, Andrea created both video and graphic content, managed multiple social media channels and managed nation-wide marketing campaigns and events.
Name and Title:
Lewis Purser
Director of Learning & Teaching and Academic Affairs
Phone: +353 (1) 676 4948
Email: lewis.purser@iua.ie
Description: Lewis Purser is Director (Learning & Teaching and Academic Affairs) at IUA, where he works with the Vice-Presidents Academic/Registrars’ group. Within IUA he has overall responsibility for a broad portfolio of policy areas, including access, admissions, teaching and learning, student engagement, skills and graduate outcomes, graduate studies and quality. Prior to joining IUA in 2005, Lewis worked at the European University Association and with several United Nations agencies in educational, health and social fields. He is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin and of the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies at the University of Geneva.
Name and Title:
Oisin Hassan
Policy Executive - Lifelong Learning and Skills (mat cover)
Phone:
Email: Oisin.Hassan@iua.ie
Description: Oisín Hassan is Policy Executive for Lifelong Learning and Skills, with responsibility across a range of policy areas, including micro credentials, recognition of prior learning, apprenticeships, as well as flexible and part-time learning. Prior to joining the IUA, Oisín was Programme Manager of the National Student Engagement Programme (NStEP), working to enhance and embed student engagement in decision-making across 25 higher education institutions. Oisín recently completed a term on the Icelandic Quality Board for Higher Education. He was previously the Vice President for Academic Affairs at the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), as well as a sabbatical officer at his alma mater in Queen’s University Belfast where he studied Law. He recently completed a Masters in Public Policy from Dublin City University.
Name and Title:
Nora Trench Bowles
Head of Lifelong Learning, Skills and Quality (on mat leave)
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6037
Email: nora@iua.ie
Description: Nora Trench Bowles is Head of Lifelong Learning, Skills and Quality at the IUA. She works with the IUA Registrars/ Vice-Presidents Academic Group and manages the Quality Committee and Quality Directors Group. Nora drives policy matters and sectoral initiatives across areas including flexible provision, recognition of prior learning, national and European skills agendas, student engagement, graduate outcomes, quality assurance and enhancement, qualifications and accreditation, academic integrity. Nora represents the IUA on many groups, e.g. as co-chair of the StudentSurvey.ie Steering Committee, on the National RPL Project in HE Steering Committee and RPL Practitioners Network Steering Group, and on the National Advisory Group for Student Engagement. She represents Ireland on the European Higher Education Area MICROBOL project on micro-credentials. A graduate of University College Dublin, Uppsala University, Sweden and the University of Strasbourg, France, Nora previously worked in the Council of Europe, European Parliament and European Commission before returning to Dublin to work as Policy and Advocacy Manager in European Movement Ireland. In a voluntary capacity, Nora is Vice-Chairperson of the Irish Stammering Association, a national charity working to support people who stammer.
Name and Title:
Colm Downes
Access Programme Manager
Phone: +353 (0)1 799 6024
Email: colm.downes@iua.ie
Description: Colm Downes is the Access Programme Manager at the IUA. The office manages operational and development work on behalf of the 17 HEIs who participate in the DARE and HEAR schemes. Following their introduction in 2009, DARE and HEAR have established themselves as the primary vehicle through which participating HEIs reach institutional and national targets for the admission and progression of students with disabilities and socio-economically disadvantaged students to and through higher education. Since then over 20,000 students have been admitted to higher education through the schemes.
Name and Title:
Dr Declan Reilly
National Coordinator of the 1916 Bursary (PATH 2)
Phone:
Email: Declan.Reilly@iua.ie
Description: Dr Declan Reilly is the National Coordinator of the 1916 Bursary. Part of the Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH) and funded through the HEA, the 1916 Bursary was established to encourage participation and success by students who are most economically disadvantaged and who are from communities significantly underrepresented in higher education. Over the period 2021-2024, this role will support all HEIs participating in the 1916 Bursary by developing an efficient and effective national application and assessment system. Before joining the IUA, Declan worked for 16 years as a Disability Officer in Trinity College Dublin, where he played a lead role in needs assessments and in the provision of supports for students with disabilities. Declan has a PhD. from Trinity College and has presented regularly at conferences and seminars on the work and impact of student support services. He previously worked as an Occupational Guidance Advisor and as a Facilitator on early intervention mental health programmes.
Name and Title:
Jennifer Cleary
Head of International Affairs/ IUA HR Manager
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6023
Email: jennifer.cleary@iua.ie
Description: Jennifer is the Head of International and HR Manager at IUA. Jennifer provides overall leadership and coordination of international education and manages the IUA internal HR function. She convenes the International Directors Group and coordinates the development and implementation of an IUA international education strategy for the university sector in liaison with the group. Jennifer represents the IUA universities on government and state agency groups to advance the university position on international education; As the former Manager of the EURAXESS Ireland office she provided practical advice and assistance to researchers and their families wishing to move to Ireland or move abroad to continue a career in research. Jennifer was also the Irish Representative on the EURAXESS Services Network across 40 countries and was involved in a number of European Commission initiatives and projects focusing on human resources and mobility issues for researchers. Before joining the IUA she was previously employed as HR Manager with Media Lab Europe, the European research partner of the MIT Media Lab, and prior to that worked in a HR and Training capacity in various organisations ranging from I.T to the Hospitality Industry. Jennifer holds a B.A. (1st Class Hons.) Degree in Personnel Management and Industrial Relations from the National College of Ireland and is also a Member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Irish Institute of Training and Development (IITD).
Name and Title:
Neil Tynan
Policy and Projects Officer
Phone:
Email: neil.tynan@iua.ie
Description: Neil is the Policy and Projects Officer for International Education at the IUA. Having previously worked on international education at both a national and an institutional level, he has a strong interest in student mobility, Erasmus+ and internationalisation policy. Reporting to the Head of International, Neil is responsible for supporting and promoting policies and initiatives related to a number of different areas, including student mobility, the International Education Mark, Language Connect and the internationalisation of Irish higher education. Prior to joining the IUA, Neil has previously worked at Dublin City University, the Irish Research Council and the Higher Education Authority. During his time at these organisations, he has managed both outbound and inbound student mobility, coordinated national research funding programmes and overseen the rollout of the national auditing system for Erasmus+ for HEIs in Ireland. He is a graduate of the College of Europe (MA), the London School of Economics and Politics (MSc) and University College Dublin (BA).
Name and Title:
Tony McMahon
Associate Director for HR and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Phone:
Email: tony.mcmahon@iua.ie
Description: Tony McMahon is IUA's Associate Director HR & EDI providing sectoral leadership and advice on HR, and Equality, Diversity & Inclusion activities. Working closely with the IUA Human Resources Directors Group (HRDG) and the Vice-Presidents Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Group (VPEDI), Tony also represents the IUA in our engagements with key external stakeholders. Tony has a professional background in Human Resources, and was previously Director of Human Resources from 2007 to 2014, and Director of Diversity and Inclusion 2015-2020, in Trinity College Dublin. He has professional qualifications in HR management, Arbitration and Mediation, and has trained as an unconscious bias and diversity training provider. He is a member of the Advisory Board of the EU funded Gender Excellence in Research (GenderEX) Project, and in a voluntary capacity, is the Chair of the Board of Directors of Gheel Autism Services, a charity providing services to people with autism in the greater Dublin and North Kildare region.
Name and Title:
Kate Morris
Head of Campus Engage
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6027
Email: kate.morris@iua.ie
Description: Kate leads Campus Engage on behalf of the 7 universities of Ireland, and the Technological University of Dublin. Kate’s role is dedicated to creating systems change, to better connect teaching, learning practice, and research and innovation process to address societal challenges, with and for society. Kate has over 20 years’ experience in stakeholder engagement for public policy and practice change. She has much experience in working with policy makers, funding agencies, researchers, practitioners and the public in Ireland, France, and UK. Prior to joining the IUA Kate worked at the Centre for Effective Public Services, French National Institute for Demographic Studies, UNESCO NI Kate manages a number of working groups and associated programmes across: engaged research and innovation for societal impact; accredited community-based teaching and learning; and our sectoral ‘tech for good’ social enterprise – studentvolunteer.ie Kate also works in multiple advisory roles, for example, 2021 and 2022 she worked with the European Research Council supporting their new Public Engagement with Research Award. Kate also sits on the Global Talloires Network of Engaged Universities Steering Group; Italian Network for Public Engagement of Research Scientific Advisory Council, and the Public Patient Involvement (PPI) Steering Committee for the Health Research Board, Irish Research Council Ignite Network.
Name and Title:
Dr Lisa Keating
Director of Research & Innovation
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6034
Email: lisa.keating@iua.ie
Description: Dr Lisa Keating is Director of Research & Innovation. She works with the Vice-Presidents & Deans of Research (VPDoR) of our member universities and leads the work programme of the VPDoR Group within the IUA to advance university research and innovation through strategic policy coordination and development. This includes working with external stakeholders in government, funding agencies and the enterprise sector. Lisa has overall management responsibility for the IUA Research Office which has a significant role in relation to the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Action (MSCA) and EURAXESS initiatives within the EU Framework Programmes for Research. Lisa graduated with an BSc in Industrial Microbiology from University College Dublin where she then completed a Ph.D. in microbial biochemistry. This was followed by an EU TMR post-doctoral fellowship at Universität Hamburg in Germany and a Postdoctoral Research Scientist position with the University of Kent at Canterbury. Subsequently, Lisa moved to the Veterinary Laboratories Agency in the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where she was a key player in the UK Government’s flagship genomics project in TB research. Lisa moved in to research & innovation policy development and implementation when she joined the UK’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy where she was the Department’s liaison with the UK Research Councils (BBSRC, EPSRC, etc) and Innovate UK, in addition to leading the Life Sciences Knowledge Transfer Team. Returning to Ireland, Lisa joined Enterprise Ireland to set up and manage the Commercialisation Fund and subsequently led the development and delivery of New Frontiers, Ireland’s National Entrepreneur Development Programme. Having returned to the UK to lead a University Partnership programme tasked with increasing research translation capability across Yorkshire’s five universities (Leeds, York, Bradford, Huddersfield, Leeds Beckett) Lisa came back to Ireland to join Science Foundation Ireland before being appointed Director of Research & Innovation at the IUA.
Name and Title:
Dr Magdalena Wisłocka
Head of EURAXESS Ireland
Phone: +353 (1) 799 6030
Email: magda@iua.ie
Description: Magdalena Wisłocka is the Head of EURAXESS Ireland an office which provides practical advice and assistance to researchers and their families wishing to move to Ireland or move abroad to continue a career in research. Magda is also the Irish Representative on the EURAXESS Services Network across 40 countries. Through this network Magda has participated in various European Commission funded projects focusing on researchers’ mobility (MOREBRAIN, EURAXESS TOP 1 and People Network). She is also involved in managing the day to day activities of the Scientific Visa Scheme (Hosting Agreement) in Ireland since its introduction in 2007, building links and successfully collaborating with various key institutions in Ireland such as the Office of Science & Technology and the Work Permit Section of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation and also with the Irish Naturalization and Immigration Service. She has promoted the Irish Hosting Agreement Scheme as an invited speaker on numerous international conferences in Italy, Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Brussels. Madga is a biologist by training with an M.Sc. in plant ecology and a PhD in Environmental Biology from Wroclaw University (Poland). During her research and academic career she has been internationally mobile having done her post doctoral research in Ireland and has worked for both academia and industry in Ireland and Poland. She was previously employed as an assistant lecturer at NUI Galway and a scientific officer at the Irish Environmental Protection Agency where she administrated various research projects of the ERTDI programme. As an academic teacher at Dublin City University she was actively involved in organising field trips for Irish students to her native Poland as part of one of the environmental modules.
Name and Title:
Fernandos Ongolly
EURAXESS Ireland Officer
Phone: +353 (1) 6764948
Email: fernandos@iua.ie
Description: Ongolly is Euraxess Ireland Officer and a PhD student at UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Previously Ongolly worked as a student associate intern with the IUA Enhancing Digital Teaching & Learning in Irish Universities Project. He has a background in Anthropology with lots of interest in conducting behavioural research especially within the space of innovation. Currently his research interests include health innovations, how people navigate and adapt to new technologies, and activism.
Name and Title:
Dr Yvonne Halpin
Head of the Irish Marie Skłodowska-Curie Office
Phone: 01 799 6028
Email: yvonne.halpin@iua.ie
Description: Yvonne graduated with a BSc in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences from Dublin City University. She then completed a PhD at DCU studying the electrochemistry of materials for applications in molecular electronics and renewable energy where she was a visiting student at the University of Groningen and the Technical University of Denmark. Following her PhD, Yvonne moved to the private sector as a client-facing Laboratory Project Manager for ICON Central Laboratories managing the laboratory components of phase II and phase III European and Global clinical trials. Yvonne then returned to academia leading commercialisation projects in renewable energy technologies at DCU where she spent a period of time as a visiting researcher in the University of Rome funded by the Royal Irish Academy. Through joining Science Foundation Ireland, Yvonne moved into the research funding arena. While at SFI, Yvonne managed a large portfolio of individual-led and research centre awards and led large scale Research Centre funding programmes. Yvonne also led SFI's participation in the EU Commission's Materials Science and Engineering ERA.Net. Most recently, Yvonne was the UK Government's Science and Innovation Officer based in the British Embassy in Dublin where she supported bilateral collaboration and cooperation between Ireland and the UK in areas of strategic interest.
Name and Title:
Dr Jane Carrigan
National Contact Point for Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
Phone:
Email: Jane.Carrigan@iua.ie
Description: Jane is the National Contact Point for Irish Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions and is passionate about research and supporting researchers. She has over 20 years’ experience of working in higher education in Ireland- firstly as an academic, programme director and module coordinator for both undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and in more recent years in research administration. Jane previously worked in Dublin City University where she was Research Development Officer for the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and Research Officer in DCU’s Institute of Education. Through her roles there she developed a track record in working successfully with researchers applying for EU funding. Jane is a graduate of Dublin City University (PhD, MA), Trinity College (BA, MSc) and Griffith College (Graduate Diploma).
Name and Title:
Michael Casey
Director of Finance & Operations
Phone: +353 (1) 676 4948
Email: michael.casey@iua.ie
Description: Michael Casey holds the position of Director (Finance and Operations) at the IUA. He is responsible for the financial, operational and fiduciary affairs of the organisation. He convenes the Universities Chief Financial Officers Group (UCFOG) which is responsible for developing areas of policy and proposals in respect of finance related matters. He provides executive leadership and polity support to the planning and implementation of many of the efficiency measures undertaken in Irish Universities, such as shared procurement and shared services.
Name and Title:
Aidan Mullany
Asst. Director of Finance & Ops. Head of Governance
Phone: +353 (1) 6764948
Email: aidan.mullany@iua.ie
Description: Aidan Mullany holds the position of Assistant Director (Finance and Operations) and Head of Governance at the IUA. He convenes the Universities Secretaries Group, the Financial Managers Group, the Research Accountants Group and is IUA Company Secretary
Name and Title:
Eimear Radley
Finance & Data Officer
Phone:
Email: eimear.radley@iua.ie
Description: Eimear Radley is a Finance and Data Officer with the Irish University Association. She is responsible for all internal and external financial reporting requirements including management accounts, external project reporting and statutory financial reporting. She is responsible for all internal governance related requirements and supports university finance related groups on finance related issues. She is also involved in developing the data capacity of the IUA to support sectoral advocacy. Eimear most recently worked as a project accountant with South East Technological University (SETU) and held previous roles as a practice accountant, auditor and tax advisor to various sectors in the economy since 1999. Academically, she holds a BA from UCC, a postgraduate diploma from UCD Smurfit graduate school of business and a postgraduate higher diploma in teaching in further education. She is also professionally accredited with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland (CPA) and the Irish Tax Institute (ITI).
Name and Title:
Louise Griffin
Operations and Sustainability Project Officer
Phone:
Email: louise.griffin@iua.ie
Description: Louise is the Operations and Sustainability Project Officer at the Irish Universities Association (IUA). Reporting to the Assistant Director of Finance & Operations, Louise supports the development, coordination and implementation of policies, projects and initiatives in the university operations space, with a particular focus on sectoral sustainability projects and initiatives. This includes supporting the work of the IUA Sustainability Working Group and project managing the IUA-EPA Campus Living Labs Project. Prior to the IUA, Louise held positions in the University of Limerick and in University College Dublin. Most recently, Louise was the UCD Sustainable Development Goals Project Officer, managing a university-wide project that mapped the UN SDGs to UCD’s activities. In advance of joining the IUA, Louise was a Governance & Secretariat Officer, supporting the work of the UCD Academic Council and the UCD Academic Council Executive Committee. Louise holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature and Media & Communications from the University of Limerick and an MSc in Management for Sustainable Development (First Class Honours) from Dublin City University.
Name and Title:
Jools O'Connor
Project Lead for MicroCreds
Phone:
Email: jools.oconnor@iua.ie
Description: Jools O'Connor is Project Lead for the MicroCreds Project, based at the Irish Universities Association (IUA). MicroCreds is a five year project which has received €12.3 million in funding through the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative, aimed at establishing an innovative system of quality assured and accredited micro-credentials across the seven IUA universities. Prior to joining the IUA, Jools worked in the education sector in a variety of roles including strategic planning, operations, marketing, stakeholder management and business development. She has worked across undergraduate, postgraduate and professional education at institutions including Imperial College London, the Royal College of Physicians London and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. Jools holds an MBA from Trinity College Dublin and Chartered Institute of Marketing qualifications. Jools is very passionate about governance in the not-for-profit sector and is an active Board Member for Laois Volunteer Centre and Chronic Pain Ireland.
Name and Title:
Dr Emma Francis
Senior Project Officer for MicroCreds
Phone:
Email: emma.francis@iua.ie
Description: Dr Emma Francis is the Senior Project Officer for MicroCreds at the IUA. MicroCreds is a 4-year initiative receiving €12.3m funding from the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3. MicroCreds aims to establish an innovative system of quality assured and accredited micro-credentials across the seven founding IUA universities. Emma has specific focus on skills gaps and enterprise engagement, leading on the development of MicroCreds Innovate, a sustainable model for university-enterprise collaboration for micro-credentials. She also coordinates the Erasmus+ MicroNet project, a transnational European peer learning network for enhancing micro-credentials development and awareness. Academically, Emma holds a PhD from Trinity College Dublin (Faculty of Health Sciences), a B.Sc. Hons. (Microbiology) from the University of Galway, in addition to continuing lifelong learning with a Cert. in Project Management (SETU). Professionally, she has provided consultancy for industry in mainland Europe, together with research policy advisory for higher education providers in Ireland. Emma was also for the West/North West Cluster Manager, Programme for Access to Higher Education, aiming to increase participation by under-represented groups in higher education.
Name and Title:
David Corscadden
Communications Manager for MicroCreds
Phone:
Email: David.corscadden@iua.ie
Description: David Corscadden is the Communications Manager for the MicroCreds project, based at the Irish Universities Association (IUA). MicroCreds is a five year project which has received €12.3 million in funding through the Higher Education Authority’s Human Capital Initiative, aimed at establishing an innovative system of quality assured and accredited micro-credentials across the seven IUA universities. Reporting to the Director of MicroCreds, David is responsible for managing Communications, Marketing and Digital Engagement for MicroCreds. Prior to joining IUA David worked for over seven years in Higher Education across various marketing, communications and student recruitment roles at University College Dublin. Most recently, David was the Marketing Manager at UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business. David holds an MA in Journalism & Media Communications from Griffith College Dublin and also a BAgrSc in Horticulture, Landscape & Sportsturf Management from University College Dublin. He is also a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland.