A delegation of members from the School of Law and Criminology had the honour of visiting the residence of the Brazilian Ambassador to Ireland, in Dublin, on 8 May. This memorable event celebrated the achievements of three outstanding MU School of Law and Criminology students – Eberechukwu Edeh, Ryan Kelly, and Aoife Murphy - who were awarded full scholarships to attend the BRICS Legal Studies Summer at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Brazil this August. There were a large number of applications received by the Internationalisation Committee, and these students were selected after a competitive selection process. The local full scholarship is offered by UFMG and international travel is kindly funded by School of Law and Criminology.
During the visit, the selected students shared their research interests with the ambassador H.E. Flávio Helmold Macieira and Madam Josiane Cotrim Macieira, focusing on topics related to Brazil and the broader BRICS framework and their expectations of the forthcoming Brazil visit. Ambassador Macieira engaged in a warm and insightful conversation with the students, and discussed Brazil’s role in global affairs, the Irish Brazilian bilateral relationship, the significance of international academic exchange, and the importance of cross-cultural understanding. Ambassador Macieira also warmly introduced MU delegation to the richness of Brazilian culture and the country’s diverse landscapes, highlighting Brazil’s vibrant cities, and multicultural heritage.
Visiting the Brazilian Ambassador’s residence provided the School members with a unique opportunity to engage with Brazilian culture and diplomacy outside Brazil, serving as an important first step toward collaboration with leading Brazilian higher education institutions. The staff were led by the Head of School, Professor Fergus Ryan, Director of Internationalisation for the School, Dr. Ciara Bracken-Roche, and Internationalisation Committee Member, Dr. Jiangyuan Fu. Dr. Emmanuel Kypraois, Associate Dean for Internationalisation, Faculty of Social Sciences, and Brendan Tighe, Director of International Partnerships and Mobility, Maynooth University.
The event was especially notable as this year is the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Brazil. This milestone visit not only celebrates student achievement but also highlights the broader context of international collaboration in higher education in a landmark year for Ireland-Brazil relations.