A newly enhanced relationship between the University of St. Michael’s College and Ireland’s Maynooth University will further open doors for students and professors at both institutions, including new opportunities for students in the College’s undergraduate Medieaval and Celtic Studies programs, and the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology.
The agreement comes as St. Michael’s explores the possibility of establishing a research institute led by Professor Mark McGowan focused on the Irish diaspora.
A Memorandum of Understanding between the two universities, promoting technological and cultural co-operation in fields of mutual specialization, as well as in developing and deepening joint arts, humanities, theological, and information science activities, was signed in May when St. Michael’s President David Sylvester travelled to Maynooth.
His visit coincided with the annual trip to the Irish university by students from St. Michael’s Boyle Seminar in Scripts and Stories, a first-year course designed to examine the intersection between mediaeval and Celtic cultures. The timing meant Sylvester was able to witness first-hand the benefits for St. Michael’s students in accessing rare documents pertinent to the course, as well as to hear from local experts.
“This new agreement provides unique opportunities for enhanced – and new experiences for our students,” says Sylvester. “There’s great overlap between our two universities and will welcome Maynooth students, faculty, and librarians on our campus with the same degree of enthusiasm that Maynooth has welcomed ours.”
The MoU builds on an existing relationship between the two universities which includes the recognition of exchange credits, says McGowan, the former principal of St. Michael’s and a professor of History and Celtic Studies. Since both universities are working on many of the scholarly areas, it makes sense to coordinate opportunities for teaching and research, he adds.
The agreement mentions several possible paths of cooperation, including the exchange of faculty and research staff members, technicians and students; the implementation of joint research projects with common programs; providing lectures and symposia, as well as participation in congresses, colloquies, seminars; facilitating the exchange of information and academic publications; the promotion of educational activities for research personnel, technicians and students; and offering the promotion, co-operation, exchanges, and symposia for librarians and archivists.
Describing the approach of Maynooth University as “nimble and creative,” McGowan is quick to praise the university for the incredible support it has offered the Boyle Seminar since it was introduced in the 2018-2019 academic year, including arranging classroom space and lodging for both students and visiting faculty.
“Maynooth University is a reliable home base in a beautiful university town that caters to our students,” he says, noting that the safe and historic location, complete with a castle on campus, is a 20-miute train ride to Dublin.
The MoU is a notable achievement related to St. Mike’s 180 sustainability goal of “strengthening partnerships and exploring new opportunities to work with community and educational allies.”
Among the benefits of the partnership are the opportunities it offers students in the Regis St. Michael’s Faculty of Theology. St. Patrick’s Pontifical University, home to Ireland’s National Seminary, is located at Maynooth, and specializes in theology, philosophy and related disciplines. Maynooth’s library has an extraordinary wealth of archival materials, McGowan explains, including the Salamanca Archive, and the university has ties to numerous other post-secondary institutions in Europe, easing the way for research.
Also benefitting from the memorandum will be the librarians of the John M. Kelly Library, he adds, noting that librarians from Maynooth came to St. Michael’s in 2018 to learn about our systems and approaches. While the pandemic intervened before our librarians could engage in a reciprocal visit, that remains as possibility, as does an ongoing exchange of library materials.
“Maynooth is the preeminent Catholic university in Ireland,” says McGowan. “It’s logical that we should be working together.”