Maynooth University
The National University of Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM; ), commonly known as Maynooth University (MU), is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland in Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland. It was Ireland's youngest university until Technological University Dublin was established in 2019, as it was founded by the Universities Act, 1997 from the secular faculties of the now separate St Patrick's College, Maynooth, which was founded in 1795. Maynooth is also the only university town in Ireland, all other universities being based within cities. The university consists of two connected campuses: an older southern campus, with 19th -century buildings, shared with St Patrick's College, and, across a public road, a modern northern campus, occupying circa . With over 13,000 students enrolled, and over 900 staff from over 20 different countries, it is Ireland's smallest, yet fastest growing, university. In 2009, Maynooth University was listed as a Top500 university in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. The 2012 "QS World University Rankings" put MU in the 501–550 bracket worldwide, but most recently, Maynooth University was ranked in the 701–750 bracket in the 2019 "QS World University Rankings". In 2008 it was named "Sunday Times" 'University  of the Year'. In 2011, Maynooth University became the first and only institution outside of North America to be included in "The Princeton Review of Best Colleges". It also has the highest proportion of university participation in Ireland of mature students (16%) and access students (22%). History. 18th and 19th centuries. The university and St Patrick's College, Maynooth have a common history from 1795 to 1997. The college in Maynooth was established by the government as a college for Catholic lay and ecclesiastical students in 1795. The lay college was based from 1802 in Riverstown House on the south  campus. With the opening of Clongowes Wood, the lay college which had lay trustees was closed in 1817 and it functioned solely as a Catholic seminary for almost 150 years. In 1876 the college became a constituent college of the Catholic University of Ireland, and later offered Royal University of Ireland degrees in arts and science. The Pontifical Charter was granted to the college in 1896. 20th and 21st centuries. The college became a recognised constituent college of the National University of Ireland in 1910. From this time, arts and science degrees were awarded by the National University of Ireland , while the Pontifical University of Maynooth continued to confer its own theology degrees, as these had been prohibited in the Royal University of Ireland, and continued to the National University of Ireland (its successor) until 1997. In 1966 the college allowed again the entry of lay students; this greatly expanded the college and essentially set the foundation stone for Maynooth University. In 1997 the Universities Act resulted in the transfer of the faculties of arts, Celtic studies, philosophy and science of the "recognised college" of St Patrick's College to the new university. The university has also expanded into finance  and engineering since its creation in 1997. In 2007 the university added business studies, followed by law in 2008. Any person who was a student at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, and was conferred with a National University of Ireland degree prior to the creation of the university, is legally considered a graduate of Maynooth University. In 1994, W. J. Smyth was appointed to the position of Master of St. Patrick's College Maynooth (NUI) and in 1997 he became President of MU. In 2004 W. J. Smyth was succeeded by John G. Hughes as president of Maynooth University. Thomas  Collins was appointed interim president for 2010–2011, and Philip Nolan served in the role 2011–2021. On 1 October 2021, Finnish academic Eeva Leinonen became the first woman president of the institution. Campus. The university's main campus (there is also a remote campus in Kilkenny) straddles the main road from Maynooth to Kilcock. It is divided into the North Campus and the South Campus (also referred to by staff and students as the "new" and "old" campuses respectively). The campuses were connected by means of a footbridge that crossed over the road until mid-2011. The footbridge was then decommissioned due  to the construction of a library extension on the South Campus. The campuses are now connected by means of a pedestrian crossing on the Kilcock Road. The campus has four buildings for on-campus accommodation, namely Rye, Village, River, and Courtyard. South Campus. The South Campus houses the facilities of St. Patrick's College, as well as most of the administrative offices shared between college and university. A number of MU academic departments also have their offices on the South Campus including Law, Mathematics, Music, Geography, Economics and History. The main buildings, most of which were built in the 19th  century, are the Aula Maxima; St. Patrick's House (including the college chapel); the John Paul II Library (built in 1984). In December 2012 a new extension to the John Paul II library was completed. The extension is 6,000m and accommodates 1,700 students. New, Dunboyne, Humanity and Stoyte Houses which collectively form St. Joseph's Square; Logic House and Rhetoric House. The first building to be completed on the South Campus was named after its designer, John Stoyte. Stoyte House, still a prominent presence on campus, stands in proximity to Maynooth Castle. Over a period of 15 years, the  site at Maynooth underwent rapid construction so as to cater for the influx of new students, and the buildings which now border St. Joseph's Square (to the rear of Stoyte House) were completed by 1824. The university chapel is located on the South Campus, just off St. Joseph's Square; masses and choir services are frequently held in the chapel, as is the traditional Christmas carol service. The South Campus also houses the National Science Museum and the Russell Library. North Campus. The North Campus was developed far more recently than the South Campus, in the latter half of  the 20th century. Here, the main buildings are the Students' Union building, Sports Complex, Biosciences, and Engineering Building, Callan Science Building (named after the inventor of the induction coil, Nicholas Callan), the Iontas building, the Arts Building, the Science Building and the John Hume Building. The Eolas Building houses the department of Computer Science, the Business Incubation Centre, the Innovation Value Institute, as well as the Hamilton and Callan Institutes, along with several teaching spaces. The student services function is also based on North Campus, and there are a number of playing fields and a sports complex, which includes a  fully equipped gym and an astroturf field. The remainder of MU's academic departments, as well as many research institutes such as the Institute of Microelectronics and Wireless Systems, the Hamilton Institute and the Institute of Immunology, are also located on the North Campus. Kilkenny Campus. The university also maintained a campus in Kilkenny from September 1997 until June 2018, based at St Kieran's College, with students enrolled in certificate, diploma and degree programmes. Academic organisation and reputation. The university is divided into three faculties: Arts, Celtic Studies and Philosophy; Science and Engineering; Social Sciences, with most students studying  within one of these streams (although some cross-discipline courses are available). The faculties are further divided into various schools and departments. As of 2016, there were 1,800 students at post graduate level. Some postgraduate students also have links to the various research institutes that are based on campus. Froebel College of Education became part of Maynooth University in September 2013. A new optional subject available to first years, called critical skills. Faculties, schools, departments and centres. Froebel College of Education. Since 2013, Froebel College of Education is situated at MU. Maynooth University has established a "Froebel Department of Early  Childhood and Primary Education" and awarded Froebel College's four-year Bachelor of Education degrees, Higher Diploma in Primary Education, Master's degree in Special and Inclusive Education and Postgraduate Diploma in Arts in Special Education. The state-of-the-art Education Building opened in late September 2016. As a continuity of Froebel Colleges' heritage Religious Education and Theology modules are delivered by the Department and the Faculty of Theology of St Patrick's College, Maynooth (SPCM), running alongside the Degree and Masters programmes, leading to a Certificate awarded by SPCM and qualifying to teach in Catholic Schools. Admissions. Admission  to undergraduate study for European Union school-leavers is generally handled by the CAO (Central Applications Office), and not by MU. Applicants have to compete for university places solely on the basis of the results of their school-leaving exams. Places are awarded in mid-August every year by the CAO after matching the number of places available to the academic attainments of the applicants. Qualifications are measured as "points", with specific scales for the Irish Leaving Certificate, and all other European Union school-leaving results, such as the UK GCE A-level, the International Baccalaureate along with other national  school-leaving exams. Academic affiliations. Maynooth University is a member of Universities Ireland, The Irish Universities Association, European University Association, European Association for International Education and Eurodoc. MU is also a member of Dublin Region Higher Education Alliance, along with three other universities; TCD, UCD, DCU, and four institutes of technology; DIT, IADT, ITT and ITB. Maynooth University is also a member of the 3U Partnership with Dublin City University and the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland. The L.L.M. in International Business Law is offered as a dual degree offered in conjunction with the Catholic University of Lyon (UCLy) in  France, the course is delivered in English. The Development Studies programmes of the Kimmage Development Studies Centre, began being delivered from Maynooth and accredited by the university in 2013, with the Centre moving from Kimmage Manor to Maynooth in 2018. The Diploma in Arts (Church Music) delivered in association with the National Liturgy Institute (St. Patrick's College, Maynooth) and the Dept. of Music NUI Maynooth. Any student of St Patrick's College, Maynooth prior to the passing of the Universities Act, 1997, upon whom a degree of the National University of Ireland was conferred is now legally considered to  be a graduate of Maynooth University. The college continues to share its campus with Maynooth University but remains a separate legal entity with training in canon law, philosophy and theology and awards the degrees of the Pontifical University and is associated with several other colleges. Reputation. In 2008, Maynooth University occupied fourth place on the Irish "Sunday Times" University League Table 2008, the newspaper's annual league table of Irish third-level institutions, behind TCD, UCD and UCC, having jumped three places since 2007. It was also the top institution for research income won per academic, with one of the  best graduate employment records of any Irish university at almost 100 percent. MU was also named "University of The Year 2008" in "The Sunday Times University Guide (UK)", beating UCD which finished second. In 2009, Maynooth University was listed as a Top500 university in the Times Higher Education-QS World University Rankings. In 2010, MU recorded the highest growth in first preference school-leaver applications in the university sector. In 2011, Maynooth University became the first and only institution outside of the United States to be included in the "Princeton Review of Best Colleges". Maynooth University was recently ranked No . 49 in the world for one of the leading universities in the world. Academic competition. St Patrick's College (NUI) won the inaugural University Challenge based Irish Higher Education Quiz show on RTÉ, Challenging Times in 1991, winning again in 1992 and as MU in 1999. Maynooth University and University of Newcastle, Australia's joint robotic soccer team "Numanoids" won the soccer Standard Platform League (2-Legged Robot) RoboCup World Championship which was held in Suzhou, China from 14 to 20 July 2008. 2008 was Maynooth University's first year to enter the international robot competition which hosted 440 teams  from 35 countries. Maynooth University first entered the Microsoft Imagine Cup in 2007. it achieved both first and third place in the Imagine Cup Ireland finals, earning participation in the world finals in Seoul, South Korea in August 2007. Team inGEST (Interactive Gesture), who developed a low-cost interactive system for teaching sign language using standard web cameras for feedback, achieved a top-six position in the finals and went on to Silicon Valley in February 2008 as part of the Imagine Cup Innovation Accelerator Program. In 2008, students tied for second place in the Microsoft Imagine Cup in the  category of "Embedded Development". A total of 124 teams representing 61 countries and regions took part in 2008. In 2010 the university won the award for Best Windows Azure Application with their cloud-based medical record system. Coat of Arms. The coat of arms, which were granted by the Chief Herald of Ireland in 2016, are blazoned: "Argent an open book leaved and bound proper clasped or a chief gyrony of six of the field and gules on a point in point of the last a cross pattée fitchy at all points of the first". The book represents a place  of universal learning, the cross the university's links to the seminary, the division of the chief into six representing its six disciplines, and the use of red and white is reminiscent of the FitzGerald dynasty's links to Maynooth. The university does not currently use its coat of arms, preferring to use the logo which was introduced in 2014. Research and innovation. A number of research institutes fall under the auspices of Maynooth University: Student life and traditions. Maynooth Students' Union represents the students of Maynooth University, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth as well as students at its associated  campus at St Kieran's College. Student Clubs. There are currently over 100 clubs and societies in Maynooth University. Clubs on campus include those for rugby, Gaelic football, hurling & camogie, judo, ultimate Frisbee, Aussie Rules, badminton, swimming, kickboxing, tennis, archery, trampolining, surfing, canoeing and kayaking ('MUCK'), golf, skiing, parkour & free running, hockey, strength & fitness, aquatics, Olympic handball, snooker and pool, ultimate frisbee, chess, surf, judo, ladies soccer, rowing, self-defence and equestrian. Most of the university clubs take part in an intervarsity competition to some degree. Maynooth University also participates in an annual intervarsity sporting competition with Dublin City University , known as the 35s. Sporting scholarships. The university offers a number of sport scholarships to aspiring students in Gaelic games, rugby, golf, swimming, Soccer and snooker. Maynooth is the only university in Ireland to offer scholarships in swimming. Rugby scholarships were introduced to Maynooth University in 2006 in which scholarship students are obliged to attend the rugby performance centre and to play with the university teams and Barnhall RFC. The Maynooth University Rugby Performance Centre is open to all Rugby Club members attending MU. The aim of the centre is to enhance students' prospects within the game of rugby and  to continue to achieve success with the university teams. As part of the link-up with Barnhall RFC, players from the youth system 16-20s are invited to take part in a summer programme. Currently, there are 4 men's teams playing in Barnhall rugby club as well as the introduction of the women's Rugby scholarship there is now a women's rugby team in Barnhall. Student numbers. 2016/17 Student demographics. 2016/17 Staff numbers. 2016/17 Student societies. There is a colourful history of drama and theatre at Maynooth University, which can be traced back to eminent alumni such as  Brian Friel (1948) and faculty such as internationally renowned playwright Frank McGuinness. Students of the university and St Patrick's College take part in various dramatic productions throughout the year, ranging from tragedy to comedy, melodrama, farce and improv. The Maynooth University Drama Society annually confers the "Eugene Niland Spirit of Drama Award" on a recipient who demonstrates an extraordinary level of dedication to the craft of theatre, complete with a display of integrity and honorable principles in the practice thereof. The Drama Society won Best Society at the Students Union Clubs and Socs Awards 2006 and again in 2007  and the Society's Improvisation Team won the 2009 Irish Student Drama Association Improv event. Each year the Games Society at Maynooth holds their annual gaming convention, 'Dominicon'. The event was first held in 1995 and has been run each year since then with the exception of 1999. Originally it was run during February each year but the date was eventually moved to November. The Games Society donates all profits from the convention to charity. MarsFM is the student radio station of Maynooth University and is run by the broadcasting society. The first broadcast was aired in semester one of  2013 and now has over 120 presenters. it goes on air every November until the end of the school year. Other societies include those for music, dance, musical (MAD) LGBTQ, biology, poetry, art ("Playdo"), fashion ("StyleSoc"), Feminist Soc, Tea Society, mathematics, Israel, Justice in Palestine, literature and debating ("Lit & Deb"), Maynooth Students' SVP – St Vincent de Paul Society, French language society, Spanish language society, Irish language society, (Cuallacht na Gaeilge) History Society, Afro Caribbean Society, Chinese Society, Chemistry Society, Christian Society, John Paul II Society, Psychology society as well as political societies such as Sinn Féin, Young Fine Gael, Ógra  Fianna Fáil, Labour Youth, Social Democrats and a Socialist Society (which includes Socialist Party, Socialist Workers Party and non-affiliated members). The Dance Society was awarded 1st place at the 2016 Intervarsity Dance Competition at Trinity College for their lyrical performance and 2nd place for their mixed routine, involving lyrical, jazz, hip hop, and Irish dance. BICS awards. Maynooth University annually compete for university/college society awards at a national level, which are organised by the Board of Irish College Societies (BICS). Traditions. 35s. In addition to individual clubs' intervarsity competitions, Maynooth University has a standing intervarsity competition with Dublin  City University (DCU) each year called the 35s, in which the two colleges compete as a whole. Each club faces their counterpart in DCU, the winning university being whichever takes most points out of the 35 available over all sports. Christmas Carol service. A Christmas Carol service is held in the college chapel on an annual basis. The service is open to staff and students of the university and St Patrick's College, as well as members of the general public. Because of high demand, tickets are allocated by lottery. Hamilton Walk. In 1990 the Dept. of Mathematics, at St.  Patrick's College, Maynooth, initiated by Professor O'Farrell, commenced an annual walk from Dunsink Observatory, to Broombridge, Cabra, to commemorate the mathematician William Rowan Hamilton. Initially called "The Quaternion Walk", now called "The Hamilton Walk", takes place in October each year. Maynooth Alumni Association. The Maynooth Alumni Association is for graduates of Maynooth University and St Patricks College, Maynooth, who wish to keep in touch with their College and also provides the means to stay in touch with friends and classmates. It hosts a number of events such as the Alumni Ball, Networking events, and publishes the Alumni magazine "The  Bridge". Accommodation on Campus. There are four different halls of residence available on campus, located on the North Campus. These are Rye Hall, Village, River, and the Courtyard Apartment Complex. In River there is an Irish language accommodation; An Ghráig. All of the apartments are open plan with a fully equipped kitchen including microwave, oven, fridge & kettle Prices currently range from €4,900 per year for a single room with a shared bathroom to €6,370 a year for a single room with an ensuite bathroom. Maynooth University also offers Short Stay Accommodation for students who only require a room  for a short period.