The Lord Mayor’s Reception recognised the contribution and value of Youth and Community Work education in UCC to the people of Cork and to the Cork community. Over 5,000 UCC Youth and Community Work graduates have gone on to lead, support, and advocate within youth, community, and voluntary organisations, as well as in public service across Cork and Ireland. The event will highlight UCC’s ongoing commitment to working in partnership with national and local community organisations to strengthen the community and voluntary sector.

Renowned academic, feminist and LGBT+ activist Ailbhe Smyth visited University College Cork this week to accept the University’s first Athena Swan Trailblazer Award.

Students from Ireland’s prison-university education programme ‘Inside Out’ graduated at a ceremony. The pioneering programme saw students work together to debate university academic texts, draw on their own life experiences, and explore social inequalities and structural harms. This programme is the first of its kind in Ireland and is a collaboration between University College Cork, the Cork ETB Prison Education Unit and Cork Prison.