‘Education as a force for societal good’: UL's new graduates join a global community of over 140,000 alumni

University of Limerick President Professor Shane Kilcommins has praised the latest cohort of graduates being conferred this week for demonstrating “perseverance through challenge, intellectual curiosity put into practice, and a commitment to making a difference”.

A total of 3,040 students, including 53 PhDs, will graduate from the faculties of Education and Health Sciences, Science and Engineering, Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Kemmy Business School across the coming six days.

Speaking to the graduates at first ceremony at UL this Monday, Professor Kilcommins said: "During your studies, you have learned that the future is rarely predictable. There will be times when outcomes are uncertain and challenges seem significant. What matters most is how you respond.

"Your integrity, commitment to excellence, respect for others, willingness to keep learning, and ability to meet challenges with courage and purpose will define your contribution far more than any individual success or setback.

"Your degree is not simply a record of what you have learned. It reflects your perseverance, your potential, and your capacity to make a meaningful difference in the world.” 

The University’s latest cohort of graduates joins a global community of over 140,000 alumni. 

Among those graduating this Monday were students from the Faculty of Science and Engineering and the first graduates of UL's pioneering four-year Master's in Immersive Software Engineering (ISE) programme. 

Launched in 2022 to be one of the world’s leading computer science courses, ISE has transformed the approach to software engineering education where you spend half your time learning on campus in a research-driven setting and the other half in paid residences in some of the world's leading tech companies, research institutions and public sector partners. 

Professor Kilcommins told the new graduates in his conferring address: "Across all faculties, disciplines, and professions, one thing unites you. You are graduates of a university that believes deeply in education as a force for societal good.

"Through cooperative education, research, and global engagement, UL has always prepared students not only for employment, but for leadership, citizenship, and contribution. Our graduates continue to make meaningful impacts across industries, communities, and continents.

“You leave here at a time of extraordinary change. Yet uncertainty is not something to fear; it is something to engage with. You have the skills and capacity to act, to lead, to serve, to care, to innovate, and to build.

“So today, we celebrate not only what you have achieved, but what you will go on to achieve,” he concluded.

Live streaming of all conferring ceremonies is available here.