International Engagement

International engagement is central to Mary Immaculate College’s mission to provide a globally connected educational experience and to prepare students for an increasingly interconnected world. Through international partnerships, student and staff mobility opportunities, collaborative teaching and research initiatives, and engagement with institutions across the globe, MIC continued to strengthen its international profile during 2024–25. These activities enriched the academic experience, fostered intercultural understanding, and enhanced opportunities for learning, collaboration and innovation across the College community.

MIC was awarded €257,958 in Erasmus+ funding for KA131 mobility within the EU from June 2025 to September 2027. This funding allowed for staff mobility visits and student study and traineeships throughout Europe, and Blended Intensive Programmes at EU partner universities. 

MIC was awarded €797,188 in Erasmus+ funding for KA171 non-EU mobility. The National Agency commended the geographical spread of the international strategy within the application and the College’s track record of administration of Erasmus+ grants. 

MIC’s engagement with Brazil continued to strengthen through a series of significant educational and cultural initiatives involving CAPES, the Brazilian federal agency responsible for teacher development and international mobility programmes. In Autumn, 28 teachers from public schools across Brazil arrived in MIC to undertake a Postgraduate Diploma in Education Leadership. 

The strong relationship between MIC and Brazil was highlighted on 22 April during the first visit to MIC of the Ambassador of Brazil to Ireland, H.E. Mr Flávio Helmold Macieira. The Ambassador attended the official launch of Limerick Beyond Time, a novel by Brazilian novelist and teacher Carol Pereira. The book draws on Carol’s experiences as a student in Limerick. Carol first came to MIC in 2018 as part of the inaugural CAPES teacher cohort; Carol later returned in 2019 on a Government of Ireland Scholarship to complete an MEd in Middle Leadership and Mentoring. 

Further consolidating the partnership, a senior CAPES delegation visited MIC in late Spring. Discussions focused on educational policy, teacher development and the experiences of Brazilian scholarship recipients. The teams reviewed the outcomes of the previous three years. They explored future collaboration, including a proposed multi-year contract covering semester-long programmes, short professional visits, and student teacher exchanges from 2026 onwards.

In January, MIC President, Professor Nestor and Deputy Ambassador of Ireland to the USA, Fionnuala Quinlan, co-hosted an event for over 100 partners and friends of MIC at the Residence of H.E. Geraldine Byrne Nason, Ambassador of Ireland, in Washington D.C. While in the USA, the President and Director of InternationalEngagement visited several universities to discuss a range of different partnership initiatives; these included: Loyola University, Chicago, University of Notre Dame, Indiana, Teachers College, Columbia University, NY, St John’s University, NY and Boston College.

MIC News: Celebrating International Education and St Brigid’s Day with MIC in Washington, D.C.

The Ambassador of Ireland to Argentina, H.E. Gerard McCoy, visited MIC in May to discuss educational opportunities between Ireland and Argentina and other countries covered under that Embassy. Arising from this meeting, a new connection was established with the Consulate in Paraguay related to scholarship opportunities offered by the Government of Paraguay.