Mary Immaculate College in Limerick has officially been recognised as a University of Sanctuary, joining a growing network of higher education institutions across the country committed to fostering a culture of welcome, inclusion and support for those seeking sanctuary.
The Universities of Sanctuary initiative recognises institutions that actively promote understanding of the refugee experience, embed inclusive practices across campus life, and share learning and good practice with the wider community.
The designation affirms MIC's commitment to ensuring that all who come to study and work at the college feel safe, welcome, and supported in accessing education.
President of MIC Professor Dermot Nestor said MIC "was founded on the conviction that education is a public good - a source of dignity, participation, and human flourishing".
"University of Sanctuary status holds us to that conviction. Those who come to us seeking sanctuary will not simply access higher education here; they will thrive within it and help shape the college community they join."
MIC will continue to advance initiatives that support equal access to higher education, including scholarship opportunities for students in the international protection process, and a range of programmes that promote inclusion, awareness and community engagement.
Director of Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Interculturalism at MIC, Professor Lorraine McIlrath, said the designation recognises the work already underway to support those seeking sanctuary, but also challenges the college to continue building on this in meaningful and lasting ways.
MIC joins other Irish institutions, including University of Limerick, University College Cork, Dublin City University, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin and Maynooth University, in holding this designation.
