The University of Limerick will confer honorary degrees on 80 of its first graduates tomorrow as part of its 40th anniversary celebrations.
The former NIHE, which opened on September 27th, 1972, has planned a year-long calendar of events to mark the anniversary of the first intake of students.
Some 80 members of the original class of 1972 will be conferred with honorary Masters of Philosophy degrees tomorrow as part of the official launch of the UL40 year.
Among UL’s first graduates were Gerry Dundon, the current vice-president of Analog Devices in Boston, and Prof Brigid Laffan, principal, college of human sciences at University College Dublin. More than 5,000 people have been employed at the University of Limerick in its 40-year history, making it one of the Limerick region’s largest employers.
In 1972 the NIHE campus consisted of 74 acres, while today it expands across 332 acres over counties Limerick and Clare with the river Shannon running through it. There were 10 classrooms on campus in 1972; today there are 124 lecture theatres.
The official launch of the UL40 year will take place on campus from today until Sunday. Members of the public are being encouraged to visit and enjoy a huge array of free activities and family events. Full details are available at ul.ie/ul40.