University of Limerick

The University of Limerick, known in Irish as Ollscoil Luimnigh and commonly shortened to UL, is a public research university in the city of Limerick in the mid-west of Ireland, established in 1972 as the National Institute for Higher Education, Limerick, and granted university status in 1989.利默里克大学，爱尔兰语名为（Ollscoil Luimnigh），常缩写为（UL），是位于爱尔兰中西部城市利默里克的一所公立研究型大学，1972 年以利默里克国立高等教育学院之名创办，1989 年获得大学地位。

Its campus spreads over 137.5 hectares on both banks of the River Shannon at Plassey, about five kilometres from the city centre, and in 2025 it had more than 19,500 students, 2,259 staff and an alumni community of over 138,000.该校校区位于普拉西，占地 137.5 公顷，横跨香农河两岸，距市中心约五公里，2025 年拥有超过 19,500 名学生、2,259 名教职工以及超过 138,000 名校友。

In the 2027 QS World University Rankings it is placed 388th, in the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings it stands in the 501-550 band, in the 2026-2027 U.S. News Best Global Universities it is 1,030th, and it was not entered in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities, while OpenAlex credits it with 34,346 research works and 1,559,113 citations.在 2027 年 QS 世界大学排名中该校位列第 388，在 2027 年泰晤士高等教育世界大学排名中处于 501 至 550 区间，在 2026 至 2027 年度 US News 全球最佳大学排名中位列第 1,030，且未进入 2026 年软科世界大学学术排名，OpenAlex 统计其研究成果 34,346 项、累计被引 1,559,113 次。

History

• In the mid-19th century proposals for a university in Limerick were rejected, and the Queen's Colleges established in Belfast, Cork and Galway in 1845 instead became the forerunners of Ireland's regional universities.19 世纪中叶，在利默里克设立大学的提议遭到否决，1845 年在贝尔法斯特、科克与戈尔韦建立的皇后学院反而成为爱尔兰各地区大学的先声。

• From 1888 to 1908 degrees for students in Limerick were conferred through the Royal University of Ireland, which examined candidates without teaching them itself.1888 至 1908 年间，利默里克学生的学位由爱尔兰皇家大学授予，该校只负责考试而不直接授课。

• In September 1959 the Limerick University Project Committee was founded on the initiative of Ted Russell, who had been mayor of Limerick in 1957, to campaign for a university in the city.1959 年 9 月，在曾任 1957 年利默里克市长的泰德·拉塞尔倡议下，利默里克大学计划委员会成立，为在该市设立大学而奔走。

• In 1966 free second-level education was introduced by Donogh O'Malley, the Minister for Education, greatly increasing the number of school leavers who would seek higher education.1966 年，教育部长多诺·奥马利推行免费中等教育，使寻求高等教育的中学毕业生人数大幅增加。

• In 1967 the state bought the 340-acre Plassey estate from the Bugler family as the site for the projected institute, on land beside the River Shannon.1967 年，国家从巴格勒家族手中买下 340 英亩的普拉西庄园，作为拟建学院在香农河畔的校址。

• On 1 January 1970 Edward Walsh took office as director of the institute and chairman of its planning board, beginning the work of building a new institution from nothing.1970 年 1 月 1 日，爱德华·沃尔什就任学院院长兼规划委员会主席，从零开始筹建一所新的学府。

• In 1972 the first students were enrolled and the institute was formally opened by Jack Lynch, the Taoiseach, on its new campus at Plassey.1972 年，首批学生入学，学院由总理杰克·林奇在普拉西新校区正式揭幕。

• In 1977 the National University of Ireland awarded degrees to the institute's graduates, but the institute subsequently withdrew from that arrangement.1977 年，爱尔兰国立大学为该校毕业生授予学位，但学院随后退出了这一安排。

• From 1978 to 1988 the National Council for Educational Awards was the body that awarded degrees to students of the institute.1978 至 1988 年间，由全国教育奖励委员会负责向该学院学生授予学位。

• In 1989 the University of Limerick was established by the University of Limerick Act, as was Dublin City University, making them the first universities founded in Ireland since independence in 1922.1989 年，利默里克大学依《利默里克大学法》设立，都柏林城市大学亦同时成立，它们是爱尔兰自 1922 年独立以来最早创办的大学。

• In 1991 Thomond College of Education, founded in 1973 as the National College of Physical Education, was incorporated into the university.1991 年，创办于 1973 年、原名利默里克国立体育学院的汤姆蒙德教育学院并入该校。

• Since 1991 the university has awarded degrees to students of Mary Immaculate College, a linked teacher-education college in Limerick city.自 1991 年起，该校为利默里克市内相关联的师范院校玛丽圣母学院的学生授予学位。

• Since 2012 the university has also conferred degrees for St Patrick's College, Thurles, extending its reach into County Tipperary.自 2012 年起，该校也为蒂珀雷里郡瑟尔斯的圣帕特里克学院授予学位，将其影响扩展至蒂珀雷里。

• In 1988 the institute joined the Erasmus Programme, and the university now has 207 partner institutions in 24 European countries.1988 年，学院加入 Erasmus 项目，如今该校在欧洲 24 个国家拥有 207 所合作院校。

• In 2010 the university formed an alliance with NUI Galway to share resources in teaching and research.2010 年，该校与戈尔韦国立爱尔兰大学结盟，在教学与研究上共享资源。

• In 2004 the University Bridge was opened and Thomond Village became the first student accommodation on the north bank of the Shannon.2004 年，大学桥建成开通，汤姆蒙德村成为香农河北岸的第一处学生宿舍。

• In September 2006 Cappavilla Village opened, and the following years brought further building on the riverside campus.2006 年 9 月，卡帕维拉村落成，随后数年河畔校区继续扩建。

• In 2015 the university was named Sunday Times University of the Year and completed the €52-million Bernal Project of new science and engineering facilities.2015 年，该校获评《星期日泰晤士报》年度大学，并完成耗资 5,200 万欧元、用于新建科学与工程设施的伯纳尔项目。

• In October 2025 a new €20-million Student Centre opened on the campus, bringing student services together in one building.2025 年 10 月，耗资 2,000 万欧元的新学生中心在校区启用，把各项学生服务集中于一栋大楼。

• In 2026 Shane Kilcommins, a UL graduate and former Provost, was appointed President of the university, the first alumnus to hold the office.2026 年，利默里克大学毕业生、曾任教务长的沙恩·基尔科明斯获任校长，成为该校首位出身校友的校长。

• From the late 1990s the university broadened its research base, adding institutes in software engineering, materials science and design alongside its established programmes.自 20 世纪 90 年代末起，该校拓展研究基础，在既有项目之外增设软件工程、材料科学与设计等领域的研究机构。

Academics

• The university is organised into four faculties, namely the Kemmy Business School, the Faculty of Education and Health Sciences, the Faculty of Science and Engineering, and the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.该校设四个学院，即凯米商学院、教育与健康科学学院、科学与工程学院，以及人文与社会科学学院。

• The Kemmy Business School, named after the former mayor of Limerick Jim Kemmy, holds Triple Crown accreditation from AACSB, EQUIS and AMBA, and is organised into four departments.凯米商学院以利默里克前市长吉姆·凯米命名，持有（AACSB）、（EQUIS）与（AMBA）三重认证，下设四个系。

• The university has two linked colleges, Mary Immaculate College and Mary Immaculate College St Patrick's Campus Thurles, whose students receive UL degrees.该校下辖两所关联学院，即玛丽圣母学院与玛丽圣母学院瑟尔斯圣帕特里克校区，其学生获得利默里克大学的学位。

• The Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences offers the only English-language master's degree in technical communication available outside the United States.人文与社会科学学院开设美国之外唯一以英语授课的技术传播硕士项目。

• The Faculty of Education and Health Sciences includes the Graduate Medical School and trains teachers and health professionals for the region.教育与健康科学学院下设研究生医学院，并为该地区培养教师与医疗卫生人才。

• In 2025 the university launched a six-year undergraduate medicine programme, its first intake of 30 students beginning the first new undergraduate medical degree in Ireland since 1854.2025 年，该校开设六年制本科医学项目，首批 30 名学生入学，这是爱尔兰自 1854 年以来第一个新的本科医学学位。

• The university pioneered cooperative education in Ireland, sending students on work placements of up to eight months as an integral part of their degrees.该校在爱尔兰率先推行合作教育，把最长八个月的工作实习作为学位课程的组成部分。

• Having joined the Erasmus Programme in 1988, the university now works with 207 partner institutions in 24 European countries.该校自 1988 年加入 Erasmus 项目，如今与欧洲 24 个国家的 207 所合作院校展开交流。

• Lero, the Irish Software Research Centre, was established in November 2005 and entered a third funding period worth 46.4 million euros.爱尔兰软件研究中心（Lero）于 2005 年 11 月成立，并进入为期第三阶段、总额 4,640 万欧元的资助期。

• The Materials and Surface Science Institute, known as MSSI, was established in 1998 to study materials and surface analysis.材料与表面科学研究所（MSSI）成立于 1998 年，研究材料与表面分析。

• The Stokes Institute is named after the physicist George Gabriel Stokes and was founded at the university by the Cambridge graduate Mark Davies.斯托克斯研究所以物理学家乔治·加布里埃尔·斯托克斯命名，由剑桥毕业生马克·戴维斯在该校创立。

• The Localisation Research Centre was established in 1995 and moved to the university in 1999, making UL a centre for localisation studies.本地化研究中心成立于 1995 年，1999 年迁入该校，使利默里克大学成为本地化研究的重镇。

• The Interaction Design Centre was established in 1996 and studies human interaction with computing systems.交互设计中心成立于 1996 年，研究人与计算系统之间的交互。

• The university has more than 19,500 students and 2,259 staff, with about 18,200 students in full-time and part-time programmes.该校拥有超过 19,500 名学生与 2,259 名教职工，其中约 18,200 名学生就读于全日制与非全日制项目。

• Teaching spans undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels, with research conducted across the four faculties and their associated institutes.教学覆盖本科、研究生与博士各层次，研究在四个学院及其附属研究所中展开。

• The Irish World Academy of Music and Dance is based at the university, and the Irish Chamber Orchestra is also associated with the campus.爱尔兰世界音乐与舞蹈学院设在利默里克大学，爱尔兰室内乐团也与该校校区相关。

• The university's research income comes from national and European sources, and it has an exemplary record in attracting world-leading researchers.该校的研究经费来自本国与欧洲多个渠道，在吸引世界一流研究者方面成绩斐然。

• Mary Immaculate College, founded in 1898 as a teacher-education college, is the older of the two colleges linked with the university and trains primary teachers.玛丽圣母学院创办于 1898 年，是一所师范院校，是与该校相关联的两所学院中历史较久者，主要培养小学教师。

Campus

• The campus lies at Plassey on both banks of the River Shannon, covering 137.5 hectares, that is 340 acres, of which 46 hectares are on the north bank and 91.5 hectares on the south bank.校区位于普拉西、横跨香农河两岸，占地 137.5 公顷（合 340 英亩），其中北岸 46 公顷、南岸 91.5 公顷。

• Students may live in six on-campus villages, namely Plassey Village with 424 places, Kilmurry Village with 540, Dromroe Village with 457, Thomond Village with 504, Cappavilla Village and Quigley Village for postgraduates.学生可入住六个校园村落，即拥有 424 个床位的普拉西村、540 个床位的基尔默里村、457 个床位的德罗姆罗村、504 个床位的汤姆蒙德村、卡帕维拉村，以及面向研究生的奎格利村。

• The University Arena, which opened in 2002, is Ireland's largest indoor sports complex and includes a 50-metre national swimming pool and a 3,600-square-metre sports hall built at a cost of 28 million euros.2002 年启用的大学体育馆是爱尔兰最大的室内体育综合体，内设 50 米国家游泳池与 3,600 平方米的运动馆，造价 2,800 万欧元。

• An all-weather sports complex costing nine million euros opened in July 2011 and is described as the largest all-weather sports-field complex in Europe.耗资 900 万欧元的全天候运动场于 2011 年 7 月启用，被称为欧洲最大的全天候运动场地。

• The Glucksman Library opened in 1997 and was extended in 2018, and it serves as the university's main library and information services building.格拉克曼图书馆于 1997 年启用，并于 2018 年扩建，是该校主要的图书馆与信息服务中心。

• The University Concert Hall, seating about 1,000 people, was Ireland's first purpose-built concert hall, and the campus also holds the Bourn Vincent Gallery.设有约 1,000 个座位的大学音乐厅是爱尔兰第一座专门建造的音乐厅，校区内还设有伯恩·文森特美术馆。

• The Living Bridge of 2007 and the University Bridge of 2004 connect the north and south banks of the campus across the River Shannon.2007 年的利文桥与 2004 年的大学桥，跨越香农河连接校区的南北两岸。

• The suburb of Castletroy adjoins the campus within a fifteen to twenty minute walk, and Section 50 tax incentives have encouraged student housing there.卡斯尔特勒伊郊区紧邻校区，步行约十五至二十分钟可达，第 50 条税收优惠推动了当地的学生住房建设。

• The university supports a Limerick 2030 plan to establish a presence in the city centre as well as on its riverside campus at Plassey.该校支持「利默里克 2030」计划，除普拉西的河畔校区外，也在市中心建立办学据点。

• The riverside campus was laid out on the former Plassey estate, and its modern buildings now extend along both banks of the River Shannon.河畔校区建在昔日的普拉西庄园之上，其现代建筑如今沿香农河两岸延伸。

Reputation

• In the 2027 QS World University Rankings the University of Limerick is placed 388th.在 2027 年 QS 世界大学排名中，利默里克大学位列第 388。

• In the 2027 Times Higher Education World University Rankings it stands in the 501-550 band.在 2027 年泰晤士高等教育世界大学排名中，该校处于 501 至 550 区间。

• In the 2026-2027 U.S. News Best Global Universities ranking it is placed 1,030th.在 2026 至 2027 年度 US News 全球最佳大学排名中，该校位列第 1,030。

• The university was not entered in the 2026 Academic Ranking of World Universities, the Shanghai ranking of research universities.该校未进入 2026 年软科世界大学学术排名，即上海交大发布的全球研究型大学排名。

• According to OpenAlex the university has produced 34,346 research works attracting 1,559,113 citations.据 OpenAlex 统计，该校已产出 34,346 项研究成果，累计被引 1,559,113 次。

• In 2015 the university was named the Sunday Times University of the Year, following the completion of the 52-million-euro Bernal Project.2015 年，在耗资 5,200 万欧元的伯纳尔项目完工之后，该校获评《星期日泰晤士报》年度大学。

• It was the only university to receive five stars for graduate employability and teaching in the 2011-12 QS reports, and it received the maximum five stars for sports facilities.在 2011 至 2012 年度的 QS 报告中，该校是唯一在毕业生就业力与教学上获得五星的高校，并在体育设施上获得满分五星。

• The university is ranked fourth in Ireland in attracting students who achieve more than 500 points in their Leaving Certificate examinations.在爱尔兰，该校招收毕业证书考试超过 500 分学生的人数排名第四。

• In the 2025 Times Higher Education Impact Rankings for the UN Sustainable Development Goals it was placed 76th overall, reflecting its contribution to sustainable development.在 2025 年泰晤士高等教育针对联合国可持续发展目标的影响力排名中，该校位居总榜第 76，体现出其对可持续发展的贡献。

• Although one of Ireland's youngest universities, it has built a national reputation for graduate employability and for engineering, business and the health sciences.尽管是爱尔兰最年轻的大学之一，该校已在毕业生就业力以及在工程、商科与健康科学方面建立起全国性声誉。

Student life

• The university's Irish-language motto is Eagna chun Gnímh, meaning Wisdom for Action in English.该校的爱尔兰语校训为（Eagna chun Gnímh），英文意为「Wisdom for Action」（智慧即行动）。

• The students' union, UL Student Life, is led by four sabbatical officers covering the presidency, academic affairs, welfare and diversity and inclusion.学生会「利默里克大学生活」（ULSL）由四名带薪全职干部领导，分别负责会务、学术事务、学生福利以及多元与包容。

• More than 70 student-run clubs and societies operate on campus, and since 2014 new societies must win a council vote and complete a fourteen-week trial.校区内有 70 多个由学生运营的社团，自 2014 年起，新社团须经学生会表决通过并完成十四周的试行期。

• The postgraduate students' union has a full-time sabbatical president and two vice-presidents, a structure shared with only one other Irish university.研究生会设有带薪全职会长与两名副会长，这种架构在爱尔兰仅另有一所大学采用。

• The President's Volunteer Award recognises students who give their time to volunteering in the community.校长志愿服务奖用于表彰投身社区志愿服务的在校学生。

• Because six villages stand on the campus, a large share of students live on site, giving the university a residential character unusual in Ireland.由于校区内建有六个村落，相当多的学生住在校内，这使该校在爱尔兰具有不多见的住宿型校园特色。

• The University Arena hosted the 2010 Special Olympics Ireland Games from 9 to 13 June 2010, with about 1,900 athletes taking part.大学体育馆于 2010 年 6 月 9 日至 13 日承办 2010 年爱尔兰特奥会，约 1,900 名运动员参加。

• The university boathouse contains the only indoor rowing tank in Ireland, which can hold up to eight rowers at a time.该校船库拥有爱尔兰唯一的室内划船水槽，可同时容纳多达八名桨手训练。

• The university's sports facilities, known as UL Sport, serve more than 500,000 users each year and are open to the wider community as well as to students.该校的体育设施名为「UL Sport」，每年服务超过 50 万人次，除学生外也向更广泛的社区开放。

• Each year students elect the sabbatical officers of UL Student Life, which represents them and runs many campus services and events.学生每年选举利默里克大学生会的带薪全职干部，由该会代表学生并运营多项校园服务与活动。

Notable people

• Edward M. Walsh was the founding president of the university, serving from 1972 to 1998, and wrote a memoir entitled Upstart about its creation.爱德华·M·沃尔什是该校的创校校长，任期为 1972 至 1998 年，并著有讲述建校历程的回忆录《Upstart》。

• Jim Kemmy, a former mayor of Limerick and a member of parliament, is commemorated in the name of the university's Kemmy Business School.利默里克前市长、国会议员吉姆·凯米的名字，被用来命名该校的凯米商学院。

• Chuck Feeney, the billionaire philanthropist, was founding chair of the university's international leadership board and gave major financial support to the institution.亿万富翁慈善家查克·菲尼曾任该校国际领导委员会创始主席，并为学校提供巨额资助。

• Lewis Glucksman was a founding member of the leadership board, and the university's library is named the Glucksman Library in his honour.刘易斯·格拉克曼是领导委员会的创始成员，该校图书馆以其名字命名为格拉克曼图书馆。

• Mary Harney, a former Tánaiste of Ireland and minister, served as Chancellor of the university.曾任爱尔兰副总理与部长的玛丽·哈尼曾担任该校校监。

• Brigid Laffan, a political scientist, has been Chancellor of the university since 2023.政治学家布里吉德·拉凡自 2023 年起担任该校校监。

• Seán Donlon and Miriam Hederman O'Brien, both former senior civil servants, also held the office of Chancellor of the university.曾担任高级公务员的肖恩·唐隆与米里亚姆·赫德曼·奥布莱恩，也曾出任该校校监。

• Ted Russell, mayor of Limerick in 1957, founded the Limerick University Project Committee in 1959 and is regarded as a founding figure of the university.1957 年的利默里克市长泰德·拉塞尔于 1959 年创立利默里克大学计划委员会，被视为该校的奠基人物之一。

• Donogh O'Malley, the Minister for Education who introduced free second-level education in 1966, and Taoiseach Jack Lynch, who opened the institute in 1972, were both central to its early years.1966 年推行免费中等教育的教育部长多诺·奥马利，以及 1972 年为学院揭幕的总理杰克·林奇，都对学校早期发展举足轻重。

• Kerstin Mey was president of the university from 2020 to 2024, having first served as an interim leader.克斯廷·梅曾在 2020 至 2024 年担任该校校长，最初以临时领导人身份上任。

• Desmond Fitzgerald was president from 2017 to 2020 and Roger Downer from 1998 to 2006, each shaping a different phase of the university's growth.德斯蒙德·菲茨杰拉德在 2017 至 2020 年任校长，罗杰·唐纳在 1998 至 2006 年任校长，各自推动了学校不同阶段的发展。

• Mark Davies, a Cambridge graduate who founded the Stokes Institute, is among the researchers who built the university's engineering profile.创立斯托克斯研究所的剑桥毕业生马克·戴维斯，是参与打造该校工程学科声誉的研究者之一。