University College Dublin (UCD) President Andrew Deeks will resign in April of next year to become Vice-Chancellor of Murdoch University in his hometown of Perth, Australia.
Deeks was appointed to a ten-year term as president in 2014.
The university’s current Deputy President and Registrar Mark Rogers will take the role of acting president until the UCD Governing Authority appoints a permanent successor.
Deeks is taking a role vacated by Prof Eeva Leinonen, who was recently appointed president of Maynooth University.
In a press statement, Deeks said that “the opportunity to return to my hometown to lead a university which is well-positioned to thrive in this time of disruption and opportunity, a time where the need to build a sustainable global society is increasingly recognised was one I could not pass up”.
“I have greatly enjoyed my time at UCD despite the various challenges Irish universities have faced over these eight years.”
He added: “UCD is in a strong position academically and financially, with exciting plans for the future, and has come through the trials of the pandemic in good shape.”
“While I regret that I will not be here to see these projects through to their conclusion, I am confident the UCD community will continue to deliver the vision of our ‘Rising to the Future’ strategy.”
Chair of the UCD Governing Authority Marie O’Connor said: “We are sorry to be losing Andrew before the end of his term, but we understand his decision. I would like to thank him for his leadership over these eight years, which have been very challenging for Irish universities.”
“Under Andrew’s leadership,” she said, “UCD has looked to its own enterprise to generate the funding needed to strengthen the performance and impact of the University.
“I am confident that as Acting President, Professor Mark Rogers, with his vast experience as Deputy President and Registrar, will continue to steer the University and pursue the vision set out in our strategy.”
Deeks had a difficult relationship with UCD students in recent years. In 2020, the announcement of rent hikes of up to 12 per cent led to student protests and anger at the president.
After the UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) staged a protest outside the president’s office, Deeks refused to back down.
He told the University Observer at the time that Dublin’s housing crisis “can’t be addressed by capping or reducing rents”.
