Dr John Kyle, the 123rd High Sheriff of Belfast visited St Mary’s University College on Thursday 28th September, at a time when the Falls Road based institution is celebrating 123 years of teacher education provision.

The High Sheriff was welcomed to St Mary’s by members of the Student Union Executive and presented with a College sports jersey.

For St Mary’s, its educational provision all started in September 1900 when one hundred women from fourteen counties across Ireland enrolled for a two-year long course of teacher training under the supervision of the Dominican Sisters.

Dr Kyle undertook a walking tour of the campus, which has undergone extensive redevelopment in recent years and learned of the academic profile of St Mary’s as well as its international outreach. As a former Belfast City Councillor ,he was particularly interested in the College’s commitment to community engagement.

Dr Kyle was informed of a new initiative to introduce student teachers to the innovative practices of the business world, which is being rolled out through a partnership between St Mary’s and the Innovation Factory which is located on the old Mackies International site off the Springfield Road.