2022
Impact Report
01
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022
.
This is a landmark year for the University of Limerick. It is hard to believe that in just fifty years our student population has expanded from 120 to 17,500, that our campus has grown from just 50 acres to 350 and that our buildings have spread from 20,000 square feet to more than 3,500,000. We find ourselves in a very different place to 12 months ago – a stronger, more exciting place. In-person meetings and events are resuming with vigour. Our President’s Dinner in Adare Manor was oversubscribed and the mood on the night was electric. Most importantly, it has been a record year for new donations, with nearly €9 million in cash raised for projects across the campus. As UL celebrates fifty years, the Foundation is actively preparing to support the University for its next fifty, and beyond. We must look forward with the certainty that no matter what obstacles we must conquer, the prize is great
Harry Fehily Chairman
Chairman’s Welcome
02
Harvey Duthie CEO
It has been another tremendous year. We are receiving more six and seven figure gifts, from a greater number of donors, than ever before. Our Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) coalition has expanded further and a special thank you to Carne, Dell, Johnson & Johnson and Tines who joined in recent months. Later in this report we will also showcase AWS’ landmark commitment to ISE with their new endowed Fellows programme. Our 50ForFifty scholarships initiative is thriving. We have already secured pledges totalling €900,000, and our €1 million minimum goal on the horizon!
Multi-year commitments made by The Atlantic Philanthropies, drawn down by UL this year, include the Bernal Science and Engineering Chairs, UL’s Academic Medical Centre and the Medical School Scholarships. These ensure UL is continuing to lead with world-class teaching and research. It is clear that competition among third-level institutions is stronger than ever, and that expectations from students are at an all-time high. We know that the role of philanthropy, the work of the Foundation and the backing of our supporters has never been more important. Thank you to everyone who generously funds us and makes our work possible.
CEO’s Thank You
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022
€ 8.8m 135 € 3m € 900,000 alreadyscholarshipstowardspledgedour50ForFiftyin new cash gifts received scholarships & bursaries in grants paid A Strong Year for Philanthropy UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 The last twelve months have been particularly strong for philanthropy at UL: 03
We recently launched a new Global Fellowships programme as part of Immersive Software Engineering (ISE). Funded by a major philanthropic gift from cloud service provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS), it will establish and fully fund the Fellowships in perpetuity.
Our New FellowshipsGlobalProgramme
This is one of the most significant investments in the ISE programme to date and the Foundation is excited to welcome AWS as our latest supporter. It is a confident statement about the future of technology in Ireland and demonstrates the importance AWS and UL place on supporting world-class education.
The Global Fellowships will be highly competitive and prestigious software engineering awards. UL will appoint junior and senior Fellows coming from a variety of backgrounds, genders, expertise, and geographies, and each Fellow will be supported to spend between three weeks and six months inspiring ISE’s students, collaborating with ISE’s researchers, and engaging ISE’s growing coalition of industry partners.
Brian Dennehy, General Manager, AWS Observability, added: “UL is a dynamic and innovative university with a long track record of working with industry to help support the graduates of tomorrow.”
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 04
Mike Beary, Country Manager, AWS Ireland, said: “AWS is proud to be part of the programme and to work with UL to inspire students, and to champion fresh approaches to issues of importance to society.”
We have come a long way in fifty years! UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 05
I am excited that the UL Foundation provides support towards the delivery of this vision for University of Limerick. Since our inception as NIHE in 1972, this institution has been agile in its growth. As we have embarked on a year of celebrations marking our half century, we remember how we started, as pioneers, entrepreneurs and disruptors and we look forward towards how we will carve a course for our next 50 years.
Professor Kerstin Mey President
Fifty years on, UL will return to its roots of being a pioneer, an entrepreneur, a disruptor and contributor to the establishment of regenerative approaches across the whole of the organisation, the higher education sector and society at large. As a guiding principle for now, sustainability has to be embedded in everything we do to allow us to achieve our longer-term target of becoming a truly regenerative university. But not only that – a university should be the natural home for sustainability, diversity and inclusion. It should be a place of experimentation, invention and the prototyping of alternative futures.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 06
Having been appointed the first female President of an Irish University, it is my vision to harness the power of talent, imagination and partnerships to advance UL. Our academics and researchers supported by the administrative and technical professionals in the university are literally changing the world.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 07 (For illustrative purposes only) A glimpse of what our future campus could look like
– In addition to completing the Charity Regulator’s Compliance Record this year, and a refresh of all our policies and procedures, we are conducting an independent external review to identify if there are areas we might strengthen further.
– We are a charity registered with the Charities Regulatory Authority (charity number 20024260) and with the Revenue Commissioners in Ireland (charitable taxation number CHY 9688). – Additional oversight is offered by four specialist sub-committees (Operations, Finance and Risk, Nominations and Remuneration) who convene regularly and report to the Board.
Governance
08
– The Foundation is audited by Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC). We are currently preparing our first Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) report which we look forward to publishing later this year.
UL Foundation has good governance as a central pillar of everything we do and it is something we are constantly striving to improve.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022
Thanks to the generosity of our alumni, friends and board members, we have already secured more than three quarters of our scholarships. €900,000 has been raised to date and we will soon exceed €1 million!
The University is planning a special event to acknowledge our 50ForFifty donors and their scholarship recipients during the Anniversary Gala Week, which runs from 19th – 25th November. We also look forward to showcasing our 50ForFifty supporters through a variety of initiatives on social media over the coming months.
It has been a record year for support of UL’s Access programme with almost half of the scholarships funding Access students. We are grateful to the many alumni who have personally contributed, some with very significant donations, as well as offering scholarships through their companies.
UL Foundation provided a Traveller Community Scholarship to Comedian and Presenter Martin “Beanz” Warde to complete an MA in Journalism.
UL Foundation is marking UL’s 50th anniversary with our 50ForFifty Scholarships initiative. It aims to secure fifty new scholarships for UL students during the anniversary year.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 09
Fifty New Scholarships to celebrate fifty years!
Sarah Hartnett Director of Development
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 A record year for support of UL’s Access programme 10
Our growing group of Supporters50ForFifty — Analog Devices (ADI) — Bank of Ireland — Bidvest Noonan — Boston Scientific — Cian Cotter — Clare County Council — Dr James McCarron — Ei Electronics — Fiserv — Hegarty Family — Icon — Irish American Partnership — Michael Houlihan — Orix Aviation — Matheson — Lidl — Sunflower Charitable Foundation — Unijobs UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 11
“Education opens doors and creates opportunities. I believe that everyone should have access to higher education and an opportunity to achieve their full potential. That is why my family and I are supporting UL’s 50ForFifty scholarship initiative. As a proud UL graduate, I am delighted to play a small part in supporting the next generation of diverse and talented students.” Aongus Hegarty, UL Class of 1989, BBS President International Markets, Dell Technologies “University of Limerick’s pioneering and innovative approach played a critical role in helping me understand where I would find my passion. I am delighted to be associated with the 50ForFifty scholarship programme and it is a privilege to in some small way be able to give back to an institution that has given me so much.”
Supporter Spotlight
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 12
Cian Cotter, UL Class of 1994, BBS Managing Director, Insight Partners
The Founding Class of 1972
To mark UL’s 50th Anniversary, the Founding Class of 1972 is establishing a new endowment fund to support scholarships for UL students. The scholarships will be awarded to students who have attended the AccessCampus, which is a partnership initiative between the University of Limerick, Limerick Enterprise Development Partnership (LEDP) and Dell.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 13
About the Foundation
Mr Harry Fehily, UL Foundation, Chairman & Managing Partner, HOLMES Dr Gerard Boland, Chartered Accountant Mr Daniel Geary, Private Investor Dr Loretta Brennan Glucksman, Philanthropist Dr Mary Harney, Chancellor, University of Limerick Ms Rose Hynes, Company Director Mr Mark C Kennelly, CEO, Golf Ireland Mr Paul G Kimball, Founder, Sagebrush Capital Dr James P McCarron Jr MD FACS, Diplomate, American Board of Urology Mr Richard A Meaney, Former Senior VP, Analog Devices Inc. Professor Kerstin Mey, President, University of Limerick Dr Michael J Noonan, Former TD & Minister for Finance Mr James S Normile, Partner, Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP Dr Paul O’Connell, Ireland Rugby Mr Michael D O’Keeffe, Owner, The Water Club Restaurant & the River Café, NY Ms Kathleen M O’Toole, Consultant, O’Toole Associates LLC Mr Ralph Parkes, Investor & Property Developer Dr Michael J Tiernan, Managing Director, Tiernan Properties Dr Daniel P Tierney, Founder & Director, Industry Research & Development Group Dr Edward M Walsh, Founding President, University of Limerick Mr Niall Murphy, Secretary, University of Limerick Foundation UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 14
Dr Michael Noonan received an honorary doctorate from UL in November “UL has achieved more in fifty years than any other University. It has an exciting future to look forward to and the role of philanthropy in Ireland and in the US is more important than ever.” Dr James McCarron UL Foundation Board, New York
We are an independent organisation, supporting world-class education through philanthropy at the University of Limerick.
“UL is Ireland’s Sports Campus. The University’s impact on the sporting landscape is truly phenomenal.”
Peter O’Mahony UL Ambassador and Munster Rugby Captain “University of Limerick is the ideal location for Munster Rugby’s HighPerformance Centre. It combines world-class specialist facilities with some of the most extensive sporting amenities in the country.’” Ian Flanagan CEO Munster Rugby
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 15
Ireland’s Sports Campus
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 16 An international centre of sporting excellence.
Our Work Touches Every Corner of the Campus
In addition to several existing projects, including the Peter Real Scholarships (pictured), Analog Devices (ADI) is funding a new four-year PhD Scholarship focused on software and sustainability.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 17
UL’s Academy for Children is thriving thanks to support from Rethink Ireland, UL Foundation Board members and Vodafone Ireland Foundation. The Academy aims to encourage and support primary school children in local DEIS designated schools to reach their full potential.
Supporting a wider range of projects than ever Stryker has the longest running scholarship programme at UL dating back to 1975. The company also celebrates its own 50th anniversary this year. Our congratulations to Stryker!
The Matheson scholarship in Law Plus has been established to mark UL’s 50th anniversary and will award a one-year scholarship to an incoming first year student.
Bidvest Noonan and UniJobs are offering bursaries to Access students to mark UL’s 50th anniversary.
Our thanks to Ingenium Training and Consulting and Platt Reilly for their financial and hands-on support for our Entrepreneurship and Innovation Awards. Bank of Ireland is supporting PhD scholarships for students at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and scholarships for its Blas Summer School.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022
PwC announced a new partnership with the Kemmy Business School which includes prizes supporting student innovation.
18
Fiserv in Nenagh is awarding a 50th anniversary scholarship to a second year Computer Science student.
A.W.B. Vincent and Elisabeth Vincent Charitable Trust provided a gift for projects that align with UL’s 50th Anniversary.
19UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022
Boston Scientific backs innovation Boston Scientific’s long history with the University is now coupled with two new innovative scholarship partnerships with UL Foundation.
The company has made generous multi-year commitments in a research project focused on global healthcare and sustainability and has also invested in UL’s new Immersive Software Engineering programme.
Michael Keane, New Products Director, and Sean Cooney, Senior R&D Manager, from Boston Scientific said ‘We are excited to explore the many exciting ways of working with UL in the future which will enable Boston Scientific’s ethos of Advancing Science for Life’.
Once again this year, BD has generously supported a number of projects across the campus.
BD Research and Development Director Padraig Fitzgerald believes Ireland needs more people with skills in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) and BD is taking the lead in making scholarships available for UL students.
Taking the Lead on STEM
BD has also underwritten some of the capital costs for UL’s new Immersive Software Engineering programme.
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 20
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 21 This report offers highlights and does not include every gift received this year.
Thank You A selection of those supporting us this year
UL FOUNDATION IMPACT REPORT 2022 22
University of Limerick Foundation University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX Email Phonefoundation@ul.ie+353(0)61337 087 copperreed.com@Designedulfoundation.com ISE on RTE 9pm News
