Economy Minister Dr has announced the
appointment of four new members to the governing body of St.
Mary's University College Belfast.
Laura Leonard, Christine Magill, Dáithí Murray and Garry
Matthewson have been appointed to serve as members from 8
February 2025 for a period of five years.
The appointments have been made in accordance with the
Commissioner for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland code of
practice - https://www.publicappointmentsni.org/publications
Notes to Editors:
1. Pen pictures are available on the Department's website
at www.economy-ni.gov.uk/articles/appointments-governing-body-st-marys-university-college-belfast-pen-pictures
2. Members of the Governing Body do not receive any remuneration.
However, they are eligible to claim allowances, at Northern
Ireland Civil Service rates, for travel and subsistence costs
necessarily incurred on official business.
3. St Mary's University College has its origins in a training
college established in 1900 by the Dominican Sisters on the
present Falls Road site for the education of women students and
their preparation for teaching in primary schools. The college
has developed and evolved to also include training for male
students (for some years on a separate site) and preparation for
teaching in secondary schools. The College has had an academic
relationship with Queen's University Belfast since 1948
nevertheless the College is an autonomous institution in ethos,
governance and in finance.
4. St Mary's University College is a small Higher Education
institution specialising in Teacher Education and Liberal Arts.
It offers two Initial Teaching Education (ITE) routes including a
BEd degree in either Primary or Post-primary Education and the
Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Irish Medium. In
addition the College also offers a BA in Liberal Arts Programme,
a part-time Masters-level programmes and a full-time MSc in
Physical Education and Sport for Young People.
5. All appointments are made on merit and political activity
plays no part in the selection process. However, the Commissioner
for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland and in accordance
with the original Nolan recommendations requires the political
activity of appointees (if any declared) to be published. None of
the appointees have carried out any political activity in the
past five years.
6. The appointees hold no other Public Appointments.
