Professor Paul Connolly FAcSS

Goodbye X. This account is no longer monitored nor updated. I have moved to Bluesky - please come over. You can find me at @profconnolly.bsky.social

Final winter graduation ceremonies today in Belfast. Always a highlight of the year. Here’s me and Billy Scampton at our ceremony in Derry-Londonderry earlier in the week. Billy is a colleague and member of the procession, but also someone I taught almost 30 years ago when I was a young lecturer (with hair) at Magee!

I very much welcome the Economy Minister’s Taskforce Report and Action Plan for growing our Derry-Londonderry campus to 10,000 students. This is a major, ambitious and long-overdue plan for the north-west that we are fully committed to as a University. For my Faculty, we actively embrace the opportunity to significantly grow our provision in the social sciences, humanities and the creative and performing arts on the campus.

An absolute honour to introduce Professor Paula McFadden this evening for her Inaugural Professorial Lecture in the Great Hall on our Derry/Londonderry campus. Great turnout to hear about her groundbreaking and impactful research on workforce isssues in social work.

Don’t miss the Belfast School of Art Xmas Market - on all day today until 4pm in the main foyer, Block BA, York Street, Belfast. Got there early as everything was opening up - amazing variety of gifts for Xmas!

AMAZING NEWS! Ulster University has just won the prestigious Times Higher Education University of the Year 2024! An absolute privilege to be working at such a progressive, innovative and inclusive university! @UlsterUni #ProudOfUU

An amazing week in China visiting Beijing, Shanghai, Wuhan and Huangshi City meeting several existing and new university partners. Highlight of the week was the signing of an MoU with the prestigious Beijing Film Academy to support student exchanges, joint programmes and research collaborations. Also, watching our very own music and drama students engage in a workshop with BFA students, led by Dr Shaun Ryan, and then also perform at the BFA’s Animation Awards closing ceremony.

Very excited to be in Dublin on Wednesday to sign this new partnership agreement between our Belfast School of Art at Ulster University and the National College of Art and Design. Great discussions about future collaborations. Very much looking forward to seeing how this partnership grows!

Great to welcome everyone, including the Lord Mayor of Belfast, to the launch of the Heritage Sports and Cultural Exchange Festival, at our brand new Ulster University Belfast Sports Centre on Nelson St. As part of Black History Month, the Festival is organised by Multi-Ethnic Sports and Cultures NI and supported by UU.

A great honour to join the academic procession for this year’s graduation ceremony at CUC Ulster University, in Doha, Qatar. Pictured here with Professor Faris Gorashi, President of CUC Ulster University! Many congratulations to the Class of 2024!

Delighted to welcome An Taoiseach, Simon Harris TD, today to our Ulster University Derry-Londonderry campus to deliver the annual John Hume and Tip O’Neill public lecture, in partnership with the Hume Foundation.

Immensely proud that Ulster University has been shortlisted for the prestigious award of Times Higher Education University of the Year 2024! A major achievement reflecting the huge talent, hard work and innovation taking place across the University. @UlsterUni #ProudofUU Find out more: ow.ly/Y40V50TftKK

Really excited to see the launch of OFFSHOOT TV - a brand new student-led TV channel at @UlsterUni. Great content and very professionally produced, as you’d expect given our strengths in the creative industries! A huge congratulations to everyone involved! #ProudofUU offshoottv.com

I can’t believe it’s two years to the day that I took up my current role at Ulster University! This is an amazing place, with hugely talented colleagues who share a passion for achieving real world impact through our research and education. Very exciting and ambitious plans for the future! What this space! @UlsterUni #ProudofUU

Ulster University at #BelfastPride 2024! A massive celebration of diversity and love but also still a protest. So encouraging to see the huge support from across the city. We’ve come a long way but more still to be done! #ProudofUU @UlsterUni

A privilege to open the Peer Parent Advocacy Conference at Ulster University’s Derry-Londonderry campus. Colleagues from Social Work and Law, working in partnership with parents and local organisations, to support parents who have experience of children’s social care services.

Graduation season is upon us! Three ceremonies in Belfast today, reading out the names of over 1,000 of our amazing students. Honorary degree presented to the inspirational Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland. Further ceremonies in Coleraine and Derry-Londonderry!

Ulster University is ranked joint 5th in the world, and the highest ranked university in the UK, for its outreach activities in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024; reflecting our fundamental commitment to working with external partners to achieve real-world impact.