University of Galway president Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh to step down from his role

University of Galway has announced that Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh is to step down from his role as president at the start of the new academic year.

Announcing his decision to the University’s Governing Authority at its scheduled meeting on Wednesday, he said it was “the right time, as our university is developing a new strategy for 2025-2030, we will have a new governing authority in early 2025, and we are preparing for a new academic year.

“I want to express thanks for the support and kindness given to me in my time here, and I wish continued success to our students, alumni, researchers and academics and the professional staff who keep my alma mater among the best in Europe and the world, a university with no gates,” he said.

It was “a challenging time for the sector with significant and welcome changes to be seen in governance,” he added, and he hoped to see “the vision of investment for the next generation come to fruition”.

Prof Ó hÓgartaigh became the 13th president of University of Galway in January 2018.

Previously, he was Professor of Accounting and Dean of Business at UCD, leading its schools in Dublin (UCD Lochlann Quinn School of Business, UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School and UCD Smurfit Executive Development) and its overseas programmes in Hong Kong, Singapore and Sri Lanka.

Prof Ó hÓgartaigh was awarded a first class honours, first in class graduate, at what was then University College Galway. He trained as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen and has a PhD in Accounting from the University of Leeds.

A former Fulbright scholar at Northeastern University (Boston, USA), he has served as Audit Committee Chair at the then Department of Marine, Communications and Natural Resources and as a member of the Audit Committee at the Department of Finance.

He has also served as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Avolon, one of the world’s largest aircraft leasing companies where he also chaired its Audit Committee. He was a member of the non-statutory board of the Saolta Hospital Group and Chair of its Strategy Committee.

Chair of the governing authority, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, thanked Professor Ó hÓgartaigh for “his work, his achievements and his leadership” during his tenure as President and wished him the best for the future.

“Professor Ó hÓgartaigh steered this University through the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, with a considerate and caring approach. He has lived and worked through the values of respect, openness, excellence and sustainability,” she said.

“He has been a strong advocate for the sector, in particular for student supports and funding, and he departs at a time when the University is positioned strongly for the future,” she added.