International Office
About
The International Office is charged with expanding and enhancing opportunities for global learning experiences offered by the College through student and staff mobility and with enhancing the College’s international identity and profile by promoting Mary Immaculate College internationally.
A core mission of the International Office staff is to ensure that there is a global perspective in all that the College does by bringing a broad international outlook to the campus community and by strengthening our network of strategic partnerships around the world.
The International Office works hard to ensure that every international visitor to the College receives the best experience possible while at MIC. The friendly and welcoming atmosphere is an essential element of the fantastic experience our international students get while studying here. We aim to provide each student with a personalised campus-life experience during their time with us.
We also provide support and guidance to domestic students looking to expand their horizons with study abroad options through Erasmus or non-EU exchange. We have cultivated rich partnerships with over 100 universities across the world, including Europe, Australia, North and South America, Japan, China and more, giving our students opportunities to travel worldwide.
We arrange faculty led short term programmes for visiting international students and work with Partner Colleges to arrange these.
We host and arrange Erasmus+ faculty visits with our EU University partners where academic and professional services staff can avail of the opportunity to work/teach at partner institutions.
In 2020 The International Office was shortlisted at the Irish Education Awards for the ‘Best International College Collaboration’ for the Western European Semester programme that has been developed with St John’s University, New York.
In 2019 Mary Immaculate College’s International Office was the proud winner for the second time of the prestigious Best International College Achievement Award with the national Irish Education Awards 2019. It is a recognition of the excellent standard of student services delivered to international students. The International Office also won the StudyPortals ‘Outstanding International Student Satisfaction Award’ twice, having consistently been scored 9.5/10 or above overall by all international students surveyed at the College.
If you are an international student interested in studying at Mary Immaculate College, or are already a student and looking to discuss your options for the opportunity of a lifetime to study abroad, or a staff member seeking more information on the international possibilities open to you, get in touch with one of our team today!
Meet the Team
Click on the relevant section below or if you know the person's name go directly to the Staff Listing.
Holly Cowman, Ed.D. - Director of International Engagement
Holly heads up the International Office team in MIC, focusing on developing the internationalisation strategy of MIC and developing international relations with global partners, government agencies and networks.
Email: Holly.Cowman@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 774787
Location: JHN02
Breeda Cahill - International Office Manager
Breeda manages operations to support all activities within the International Office team, while also overseeing the Western European Semester programme, in partnership with St John’s University, NY and other short-term programmes.
Email: Breeda.Cahill@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 204920
Location: JHN001
Marta Slawinska - Funding and Grants Officer
If you are heading away on an Erasmus Grant (students or staff) and have questions about your
funding, ask Marta.
Email: Marta.Slawinska@mic.ul.ie
Breeda Cahill - International Office Manager
Breeda will be happy to discuss faculty-led, short-term programmes that MIC can help deliver in conjunction with our partner universities. If you are interested in bringing a group of your students to Ireland, Breeda will provide all the support and advice you will need to get this underway.
Email: Breeda.Cahill@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 204920
Location: JHN004
Sandra Wagner - International Relations Executive
Prospective students who have arranged to study for a semester/year in MIC should contact Sandra, who will provide lots of useful information about life in Limerick and on campus at MIC and will help with all those settling-in details.
Email: Sandra.Wagner@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 204334
Location: JHN003
Alison Ryan - International Relations Executive
Alison works on international student applications and admissions and is happy to chat to you if you live abroad and want information on studying at MIC as a full-time undergraduate or postgraduate student.
Email: Alison.Ryan@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 204988
Location: JHN03
Sarah Power - Latin American Programmes Manager
Sarah manages the Latin American international relations function for MIC, focusing on developing partnerships and engaging with partner universities, government agencies and embassies.
Email: Sarah.Power@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 774790
Location: JHN001
Lauren McNamara - International Relations Exec - Outbound Student Officer
Lauren works with MIC’s international study abroad and exchange partner universities, maintaining and expanding the partnerships. She also advises MIC students hoping to go abroad during their studies either on a non-EU exchange or on an Erasmus mobility. Lauren will be offering numerous online and in person information sessions to students throughout the year, and you can also contact her directly to schedule your own advising meeting any time.
Email: Lauren.McNamara@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 774790
Location: JHN001
Cepta Kennedy - International Relations Exec
Cepta works with Lauren to support and advise MIC students planning to study abroad (both non-EU and Erasmus+ funded) and will guide you through the process in regard to Student Erasmus+ Grant Application requirements, Learning Agreements and Transcripts. Cepta also processes US Federal Aid applications.
Email: Cepta.Kennedy@mic.ul.ie
Phone: +353 61 774760
Location: JHN001
Staff
Erasmus Staff Mobility
Erasmus Staff Mobility 2025
The European Commission and the Irish National Agency (HEA) recently launched the 2025 Erasmus + call for applications, which includes the Erasmus+ Higher Education Staff Mobility funding.
The call is open to all staff, both academic and professional services. Its goal is to facilitate international training and teaching exchanges aimed to contribute to your professional development and to the development of international collaborations in the areas of teaching, research and higher education administration.
The International Office manages MIC’s application under two strands of Key Action 1 – Mobility of Higher Education Students and Staff, and you can apply for one or both funding:
- KA131 staff and student mobility to EU and associated countries
- KA171 staff and student mobility to and from partner institutions in non-EU (non-associated countries) from Regions 1-12
HOW TO APPLY:
Fill in an online application form and submit it by 23:59, Tuesday, 3rd February 2025.
• KA131 Application form: https://forms.office.com/e/rb…
• KA171 Application form: https://forms.office.com/e/Ys…
Find more information on these funding opportunities in 'Erasmus+ Staff Mobility KA131 and KA171 Information Booklet 2025' which we recommend you read before you submit your application.
The call also includes scope for Blended Intensive Programmes, which staff may be interested in developing. Please see the 'Blended Mobility Guidance Paper July 2022' document in relation to those and contact us if you are interested.
You can contact Marta.Slawinska@mic.ul.ie or Cepta.Kennedy@mic.ul.ie in the International Office with any queries on the 2025 Erasmus+ call for applications.
- About
- Staff
- Erasmus Staff Mobility
