Projects & Initiatives
MIC’s commitment to educational excellence and social impact extends beyond the classroom through a range of projects and initiatives that support inclusion, educational opportunity, and community engagement. During 2024–25, the College continued to advance innovative projects that respond to evolving societal needs, strengthen partnerships with schools and communities, and enhance outcomes for children and learners, demonstrating MIC’s leadership in fostering inclusive educational environments and widening access to opportunities through research-informed practice and collaboration.
Embracing Diversity Nurturing Integration Programme
The Embracing Diversity, Nurturing Integration Project (EDNIP) is a research and intervention partnership initiative in Mary Immaculate College that works with five DEIS band 1 primary schools in Limerick city to promote and support the inclusion and integration of migrant children and families into school and community life.
EDNIP began in 2017 and has developed a model of inclusion and integration that has been successfully applied in the project’s partner schools. The schools involved are Our Lady of Lourdes NS, Presentation Primary School, Scoil Iosagáin CBS, St John’s Girl’s and Infant Boy’s School, and St Michael’s Infant School.
This reporting period saw EDNIP being awarded €10,000 in funding from Rethink Ireland to organise and deliver an in-person EDNIP educational conference to support primary schools in discussing learning and challenges in relation to interculturalism and inclusion.
National Centre for City Connects Ireland (NCCCI)
City Connects is a whole-school approach designed to support children and young people by identifying challenges that may affect their attendance, learning and wellbeing and connecting them with appropriate school, community and public services. The programme is implemented in Ireland by the Department of Education and Youth in partnership with the National Centre for City Connects Ireland (NCCCI) at MIC and Tusla Education Support Service.
The NCCCI, based in MIC, leads the implementation and research of City Connects in Ireland. During this year the NCCCI continued to oversee the implementation of City Connects with approximately 1,620 students attending 10 primary schools in Dublin’s Northeast Inner City (NEIC). City Connects leverages existing services in schools and communities to create a bespoke plan for every child. To date this year, almost 11,000 services have been delivered to students in the NEIC, with 25% of students receiving 10 or more services each.
