Munster’s universities start search for new presidents

MUNSTER’S two universities are about to begin the search for new presidents.

Applicants to succeed Professor Gerry Wrixon as president of University College Cork and Professor Roger Downer as president of the University of Limerick are likely to be sought in the coming weeks.

Prof Wrixon made the surprise announcement in May that he would step down next January, having been allowed continue beyond his 65th birthday to complete his 10-year term in 2009.

The university’s governing body decided in June to set up two committees to seek applications and make the selection for the post, offering a salary of around €190,000.

“We expect the ads might be placed in the next month or so, and it would be planned to advertise overseas as well as in Ireland,” a UCC spokesperson said.

The post is expected to attract considerable interest in the international academic world, given the university’s strong global profile.

However, a number of high-profile UCC staff are also likely to throw their hats in the ring. Among those tipped as a potential candidate is Prof Michael Murphy, head of the university’s college of medicine and health.

It is one of four colleges set up to replace the previous seven faculties as part of restructuring instigated by Prof Wrixon in 2004 to align UCC with changes in internationally renowned universities.

Under his presidency, the college has significantly raised its profile. It is jointly the country’s leading third level college in terms of income generated by research, along with Trinity College Dublin and was named Sunday Times Irish University of the Year twice in the last four years.

However, Prof Wrixon’s eventual successor will also face into difficult financial circumstances as efforts continue to reduce the level of unfunded capital debt, which stood at €40 million late last year.

The burden is mostly the result of borrowing to fund building work and acquisition of important sites. The Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee was told in December that plans are in place to clear the debt within three years.

Meanwhile, advertisements to seek a successor to Professor Roger Downer as president of UL are also expected in the near future.

He decided to retire due to ill health in April and the college has engaged recruitment consultants to assist its search board. They are likely to place advertisements in the near future.

A separate selection board, also drawn from the governing authority membership, will then interview the shortlisted candidates, with Prof Downer’s successor expected to be announced early next year.

His eight-year tenure at UL has seen enormous growth in student numbers, campus developments and research incomes, as well as a campaign to bring a graduate medical school to the college. He had been due to continue on in the position until August 2008.