Michael Murphy is Immediate Past President of the European University Association, former President of University College Cork, Dean of Medicine, Professor of Clinical Pharmacology and physician. He held research/faculty positions at the University of London and The University of Chicago for 12 years.

Murphy has chaired the Global University Associations Forum, Steering Group of the Annual European Learning and Teaching Forum and the International Advisory Board of U-Multirank (the EU university grading system). In Ireland, he has served on the Health Research Board (chair), board of the Health Service Executive, Senate and Vice-Chancellorship of the National University of Ireland.

Manifesto

Continuity and Change.

The National University of Ireland (NUI) has enriched Irish society for 116 years as a promoter of scholarly excellence, champion of the Irish language and culture and a forum for thought leadership. Today, some half a million graduates take pride in their parchments embossed with the logos of NUI and its member universities. If elected Chancellor, my first duty along with Senate must be to protect NUI’s missions and the reputation of its degrees, by implementing the comprehensive five year Strategic Plan adopted in 2022.

Naturally, diverse personal experiences from home and abroad will drive new emphases. Universities were never more important to our society as it faces accelerating, ever-more complex challenges. The European University Association’s “Vision for 2030” highlights the crucial role of strongly led, more deeply networked universities, collaborating in science and innovation, sharing resources, fostering inter-institutional mobility to enable students pursuing individualised portfolios of learning, throughout their lives. NUI, a federal institution, is uniquely positioned to catalyse implementation of that vision among its members while embracing other likeminded universities. I will help promote the necessary university leadership development programmes, career assessment reform to align staff performance with societal goals, and strategies to ensure Irish institutional autonomy at the highest international standards – all critical factors for success.

NUI has always added value to its members’ academic communities, students, researchers and other staff. Since individual university leaders are sometimes constrained in speaking out, NUI must be a stronger public advocate for internationally proven institutional success factors such as a nurturing regulatory framework and investment proportionate to the institutions' responsibilities.

I am particularly supportive of NUI’s new commitment to exploit its convening role to set up and foster expert think-tanks to inform Irish public policy, combat misinformation (our motto is Veritati – Truths) and to sustain Irish identity. Tá Gaeilge réasúnta líofa agam agus tuigim tábhacht na Gaeilge i saol na hOllscoile.

Fifty years as a student, researcher, academic physician, professor, dean and university president have anchored me to the higher education sector, appreciating its inspirational role in society, its boundless opportunities and never-ending challenges. Through more than ten years on Council, Board and ultimately, as President of EUA - representing 850 universities in Europe in fashioning European research and higher education policies – I have acquired a good sense of the global forces that will shape the sector in the coming decade. My purpose is to place these experiences and learning at the service of NUI universities; I am deeply honoured to be nominated as Chancellor.

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