International Summer School at St Mary’s 2025

The annual St Mary’s International Summer School provided a fantastic promotion of Belfast, delivering a positive story about the diversity and inclusivity of life in the city in a very authentic way to an audience of students and faculty from universities in the USA.

Students from the USA attending the St Mary’s Summer School returned home having experienced at first hand a unique living, breathing and working museum of culture, conflict and community, delivered through an expertly curated series of events making it a very real experience, according to St Mary’s principal Professor Peter Finn.

“The summer school is unique in that students and academic staff from universities in the USA can interact and engage directly with commentators, victims and former combatants from a very challenging time in our history. The role is to facilitate and provide context. From feedback, our US guests find this approach fascinating, captivating and enthralling with many lessons to bring home.”

Belfast Lord Mayor Councillor Tracy Kelly said, “By hosting this International Summer School for students and academics from five US universities and colleges in association with Féile an Phobail, St Mary’s University College is helping to create greater understanding of our city’s diversity, whilst at the same time strengthening our US ties and sharing a new narrative about Belfast’s unlimited potential.”

“I’d like to offer a very warm Belfast welcome to all the participants and wish everyone involved a very rewarding and enjoyable experience.”

College Principal Professor Finn continued, “Féile an Phobail is our partner in bringing an International Summer School to the now famous and iconic festival. Together, we share a vision of education as a powerful force for democracy, pluralism and community empowerment in an increasingly interconnected world.”

“Added to the mix of speakers, we are delighted to draw on insights from Reverend Bill Shaw and Father Gary Donegan from their ministry and community work at the interface in north Belfast.”

“We know from experience that the students return to their home universities with glowing testimonials about their time in Belfast and the diverse academic, cultural and social experience that they have enjoyed. Helping to market Belfast internationally is a bonus for us in promoting our own work as an educational institution committed to community engagement.”

It’s not all hard work and study. Professor Finn added: “The summer school participants also get to try their luck at traditional music, and Gaelic games. They typically enjoy the Belfast nightlife, with the itinerary including a visit to McConnell’s Distillery and Crumlin Road Gaol. The itinerary also takes in visits to the Giants Causeway, Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge and the Glens of Antrim.”

The International Summer School has attracted participants from the following institutions:

· James Madison University, VA

· Alvernia University, PA

· Bellarmine University, KY

· Merrimack College, MA

· Ohio Northern University, OH

For more information contact John Brolly – j.brolly@smucb.ac.uk