The University of Notre Dame’s new Education Centre at Kylemore Abbey in Conemara will be officially opened this week. More than 100 senior academics and management from Indiana will fly into Ireland to attend the event.
The partnership allows the University of Notre Dame to execute a wide range of academic programmes while offering residential facilities at the abbey. An array of academic disciplines will be taught, combining the scholarly rigour of Notre Dame with the rich tradition of Benedictine spirituality.
The new centre will provide short courses, modules with master class offerings, and will bring world-renowned scholars to teach Notre Dame and Irish students alike.
Director of the new centre Lisa Caulfield said the university's presence in the west of Ireland would allow students to connect with the magnificent Irish landscape, to delve into the rich history of music, folklore and language, and to continue an Irish tradition of pilgrimage – in this case a pilgrimage of learning.
"Our mission here is to continue the Notre Dame tradition of academic excellence, faith formation and community outreach."
As part of the opening celebrations, an honorary degree conferral ceremony will also take place, which will honour two noted Irish people who have been added to the Roll of Honour for their dedication to the humanities, joining other Irish honorees; former president Mary McAleese, author Seamus Heaney, and Carmel Naughton of the Naughton Foundation. The names of the two will be released today (Thursday ).
