Irish Universities Association Gets New Director General

Ifeyinwa Susan Francis

The outgoing British ambassador to Ireland, Paul Johnson has been appointed as the new director general of the Irish Universities Association (IUA).
The high-profile diplomat has long championed the value of higher education.

Commenting on his appointment, he said that: “Yeats called education ‘the lighting of a fire’, and I know from my time in this wonderful country how important high-quality education has been to its development and will be to its future. I look forward to playing my part in the exciting and important years ahead.”

Johnson held several diplomatic posts before being appointed ambassador to Ireland in September 2020.

Paul quickly endeared himself to the Irish by revealing that Ireland was “high up” on the list to receive sufficient UK COVID-19 vaccines. He further strengthened good Irish-UK relations by handling the post-Brexit situation sensitively.

In June, Paul announced that he and his wife had fallen in love with Dublin and would remain in Ireland after his ambassadorial term ended.

In November he takes up the new post as head of the IUA, which represents the majority of Irish universities.

Professor Eeva Leinonen, President of Maynooth University and Chair of IUA, said: “Over his five years in Ireland, Paul not only played a key role during a time of complex geopolitical change but also formed a deep and lasting connection to the people and communities around him.

As Paul takes up this new role, he does so at a time of great strategic importance for our universities.”