Access at 20 Celebrating 20 Years of the Access Office at UL

FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT

The University of Limerick (UL) Access Office, celebrating 20 years, has supported and encouraged students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to access and participate in higher education. Working to promote and support students who have been under-represented in the university sector is the important ethos and drive of the Access Office at UL, and I am delighted to both congratulate them on 20 years of success and assure them that this institution will continue to support their work. UL will continue to improve access. This isn’t altruism, it’s common sense.

Indeed on a personal note, I am a firm believer and supporter of the concept that anyone who could go to university, should go to university.

This university has recognised that diversity is key. Without it, our experience of education is less than it should be. But more than that: if populations of bright, imaginative and intelligent young people are being overlooked, then we are sorely missing out.

In UL, we want to educate the best and brightest. That means the best and brightest of every community should be here. If they’re not, then we need to do something about it.

The pride that we have in our Access Office and the work they do primarily in three areas, namely pre-entry school activities, post-entry student support, and outreach work in the community, has allowed us to host almost 1,000 undergraduate students to date.

The path to third-level or, indeed, fourth-level education does not just begin when students apply to attend college via the CAO - it’s a long process of commitment and ambition that needs to be nurtured and encouraged from an early age. Students who come to university along non-traditional routes are committed, hard-working and exceptionally able.

Every student needs ongoing support to thrive. The UL Access Office offers tailored services to our Access students, including a Transition to University Course in advance of entering UL. Mentors are provided for incoming first years, and the office offers a drop-in service and personal support in the form of one-to-one meetings. Our Access students are given every chance to focus on their studies and to enjoy all that campus life has to offer.

I must acknowledge the work of the Access Office team, who deserve particular praise for their diligent and creative efforts to ensure that talented, committed students have no impediment when it comes to higher education.

Dr. Des Fitzgerald