The HEAnet Board has announced the appointment of Professor Mike Murphy as the new Board Chairperson with effect from 14 April 2023.
Professor Murphy has served on the HEAnet board since September 2017. He is Professor Emeritus at Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin), where he spent twenty years in a number of senior management roles. He was Programme Coordinator for the initiative that led to the successful establishment of TU Dublin, Ireland’s first designated technological university. He has worked as the Academic Registrar and Director of Academic Affairs, Digital and Learning Transformation at the university, with responsibilities that included academic quality assurance, learning and teaching, library services, ICT services and the development of a digital campus. Professor Murphy’s roles also included Faculty Director of Engineering, and Director and Dean of the College of Engineering and Built Environment.
In 2022 Professor Murphy was interim national coordinator for the €40 million NTUTORR national initiative to transform teaching and learning across the technological university sector in Ireland, a project funded by the European Commission through Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Programme.
Professor Murphy commenced his industry career in the United States with AT&T Bell Labs and subsequently spent more than twelve years with Bell Communications Research (Bellcore). He has extensive board experience and has served on several boards including the Boards of EduCampus Services, the Central Applications Office, the European Society for Engineering Education (SEFI), and as Chair of the European Engineering Deans Council. He was President of SEFI from 2017 to 2019, and was elected as a SEFI Fellow, and a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.
Professor Murphy holds MEng and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology in the United States. He holds a HDip in electrical engineering from Dublin Institute of Technology, and a BSc (Eng) Honours Degree from Trinity College Dublin.
Speaking of the appointment, HEAnet Chief Executive Officer, Ronan Byrne highlighted “I’m delighted that Professor Murphy has been appointed as Chairperson. As we implement our new strategic plan, it is especially important that we continue to develop our digital infrastructure and expand our range of services for our clients across the education and research sector. With his dedication to advancing the teaching and learning experience across Ireland’s educational sector, and his knowledge of the Board, the Group and the Company, Professor Murphy adds invaluable knowledge and leadership experience to our Board at a critical point in our history. I am very much looking forward to collaborating with him over the coming years.”
Commenting on his appointment, Professor Murphy stated, “I am honoured to be appointed as Chairperson of the HEAnet Board of Directors. HEAnet is entering an exciting phase in its vision to enable Ireland’s digital ambition. I strongly believe in HEAnet’s mission to deliver common, repeatable, and shareable solutions for all of education and I am delighted to be able to lead the Board and support the organisation in the continued achievement of its goals. I have been very lucky to have had the opportunity to serve on the HEAnet Board under the exceptionally strong leadership of Professor Anne Scott as Chairperson.”
Current HEAnet Board Chairperson, Professor Anne Scott, retires from the HEAnet Board on 14 April 2023 and the wider Board and Management wishes to express its gratitude to Professor Scott for her invaluable contribution to the Board and Company during her tenure as Chairperson for almost five years and wishes her every success for the future.
