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Gerry McKenna

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Patrick Gerald McKenna, DL, FIBMS, FRSB, MRIA (born 10 December 1953), known informally and widely as Gerry McKenna, is a Chartered Biologist (CBiol, 1982) and Chartered Scientist (CSci, 2006) from Northern Ireland.

Professor McKenna, grew up in the townland of Lisbanlemneigh situated between Benburb and The Moy, County Tyrone and attended St Patrick's Academy, Dungannon, the New University of Ulster and the Queen's University Belfast. He is most well known for his long affiliation with the University of Ulster in Coleraine, where he was honoured with the Freedom of the Borough of Coleraine[1][2] and as Coleraine Business Person of the Year, as well as being appointed Deputy Lieutenant and later Vice Lord Lieutenant for County Londonderry.[3]

University of Ulster leadership

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During McKenna's successive tenures as founding Director of the Biomedical Sciences Research Centre, Head of Biological & Biomedical Sciences, Dean of Science, Pro Vice Chancellor (Research), and finally Vice Chancellor/President of the University of Ulster, the university became the foremost provider of healthcare programs (both undergraduate and postgraduate), and was top-ranked for research (5*) in Biomedical Sciences and Celtic Studies in the UK, one of only 20 universities to have two 5* ratings.[4] It also became the largest university on the island of Ireland.[5] The university rose to 27th in Quality Research Funding (research power) in the UK and was shortlisted for Sunday Times University of the Year.[6]

McKenna has strongly promoted social inclusion,[7] most notably via the acclaimed 'Step Up' program for school pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. He also established a range of e-learning programs via Campus One.[8][9][10]

Benburb Priory

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McKenna has led a substantial restructuring of the governance and management of Benburb Servite Priory including the establishment of its Library and Museum, and the development of the Priory as a major spiritual, cultural and community centre.[11]

Royal Irish Academy

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McKenna has played a leading role, as Vice President and later Senior Vice President, in the Royal Irish Academy, Ireland’s leading academic body. He was elected to the Council of the Academy, in 2017, also becoming an Academy Vice President. He chaired the Academy’s North-South Committee and was a co-founder and co-chair of the Celtic Academies Alliance involving the Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Learned Society of Wales. He chaired a major all-island review during 2019-2021 on Higher Education Futures resulting in reports on higher education values, the future landscape of HE, equality diversity and inclusion in HE, the role of HE in regions and place, and re-imagining the future of research across the island of Ireland.[12] McKenna was also principal author in 2024 of a major RIA report 'Finding Common Ground: Building Community' focussed on the North-West of the island of Ireland. The report recommended inter alia independent oversight of higher education in Northern Ireland and outlined the potential for a North-West cross border university.[13]

Founder or co-founder

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Affiliations and honours

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  • Chair, Health Technology and Informatics Advisory Committee; Biomedical Sciences Advisor; Hong Kong Polytechnic University[19]
  • Chair, Management Board of the Benburb Servite Priory Library and Museum[19][17]
  • Chair, Benburb Priory Ltd
  • Chair, Board of Order of Mary Servite Trust and Chair of Finance Committee
  • Member, Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education Benchmarking Working Groups for Biosciences and Biomedical Sciences[19][20]
  • Member, Advisory Committee, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University
  • Member, International Advisory Board, University of Kufa[19][21]
  • Chair, Universities Ireland
  • Keys to the City of Portland, Maine[19]
  • Honoree, Harvard Friends of Celtic Studies[22] and the Flax Trust America, New York City[23][19]
  • Honorary Doctorates, National University of Ireland (NUI) and Queen's University Belfast[24]
  • Eponymous Gerry McKenna Award for Excellence in Medical Science, Western Health and Social Services Trust[25]
  • Chair, Northern Ireland Foresight, Life and Health Technologies Panel[6]
  • Chair, Independent Advisory Group, Doctoral Training Alliance[26]
  • Co-chair, Royal Irish Academy Brexit Taskforce[27]
  • Chair, Royal Irish Academy, North-South Standing Committee
  • Chair, Royal Irish Academy, Higher Education Futures Taskforce[28][29]
  • Senior Vice President, Vice President, Member, Member of Council, Royal Irish Academy[30][31]
  • President, President Emeritus, Hon Executive Secretary, Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS)[32]
  • Vice Lord Lieutenant for County Londonderry[33]
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Website: Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna - Home

References

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  1. ^ "Meeting of Coleraine Borough Council Agenda" (PDF). Wsuk4.prossl.com. 27 June 2000. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  2. ^ "Sheepish traditions". Times Higher Education (THE). 9 February 2001.
  3. ^ "Lord Lieutenant of Londonderry – Lord Lieutenant of Londonderry".
  4. ^ "Research Assessment Exercise 2001". 30 August 2013.
  5. ^ "Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna". gerrymckenna.co.uk.
  6. ^ a b "Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna". Gerrymckenna.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  7. ^ "CAIN: Issues: Politics: Speech by Bertie Ahern, then Taoiseach (Irish Prime Minister), at the University of Ulster, Coleraine, on 'Partnership as the only way forward', 19 February 2004". cain.ulster.ac.uk.
  8. ^ "University scheme 'total success'". 20 August 2002 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  9. ^ "University of Ulster - Outreach programme hailed". 28 August 2008.
  10. ^ University, Ulster (28 April 2017). "eLearning at Ulster University".
  11. ^ https://benburbpriory.com/ [bare URL]
  12. ^ "Higher Education Futures | Royal Irish Academy". 14 July 2021.
  13. ^ https://www.ria.ie/assets/uploads/2024/05/policy-report-fnding-common-ground.pdf
  14. ^ "Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences". Hucbms.org. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  15. ^ "IUNA". IUNA. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  16. ^ "Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance". Ghdx.healthdata.org. Retrieved 7 June 2017.
  17. ^ a b "Servite Priory Library Project". Servite Priory Library Project. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  18. ^ "Launch of the Celtic Academies Alliance". Royal Irish Academy. 25 March 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d e f "Professor P.G. (Gerry) McKenna". Gerrymckenna.co.uk. Retrieved 6 June 2017.
  20. ^ (QAA), The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education. "The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA)". www.qaa.ac.uk. Archived from the original on 10 July 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  21. ^ "Professor P G (Gerry) McKenna - University of Kufa". Uokufa.edu.iq. 23 June 2016. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 16 July 2017.
  22. ^ "A new year, a new ambassador, a Cruachan eye, an Ulster hero, and more" (PDF). Fhcs.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Flax Trust – Honourees". Flaxtrust.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  24. ^ "Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna". Gerrymckenna.co.uk. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  25. ^ "Celebrating Our Successes – Western Trust Recognition Awards Event | Western Health & Social Care Trust".
  26. ^ "DTA Applied Biosciences for Health - UA Doctoral Training Alliance". unialliance.ac.uk.
  27. ^ "RIA Brexit Taskforce". Ria.ie. 11 December 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  28. ^ "Higher Education Futures Group Established by the Royal Irish Academy". Royal Irish Academy. 13 August 2020.
  29. ^ "Higher Education Futures". Royal Irish Academy. 24 August 2020.
  30. ^ "Professor P. G. (Gerry) McKenna". Gerrymckenna.co.uk. Retrieved 26 June 2017.
  31. ^ "Royal Irish Academy". Ria.ie. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  32. ^ "About HUCBMS - Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences". Hucbms.org. Retrieved 15 August 2017.
  33. ^ "Lord Lieutenants | the Gazette".


Academic offices
Preceded by Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ulster
1999–2006 		Succeeded by
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