Prof Don Barry, the University of Limerick's vice-president and registrar, with responsibility for academic developments, is to be its new president. He will take up his post next May.
Prof Barry succeeds John O'Connor, who had been acting president of the college since the resignation of Prof Roger Downer.
From Mallow, Co Cork, Prof Barry has a Ph.D in statistics from Yale University, where he was also an assistant and associate professor in the university's statistics department before moving to UCC.
In 2004, he was appointed vice-president academic and registrar of University of Limerick (UL), with responsibility for academic developments across the university. In that capacity he has chaired the college's academic and deans' councils and is a member of its governing body.
He also has extensive teaching and research experience at third level and has published widely in his field.
The appointment of Prof Barry, which follows an extensive national and international search and selection process, comes at an important time for UL, which has over 11,500 students and 1,200 staff. The key role of president of the University of Limerick involves managing and directing the university in its academic, administrative, financial, personnel and other activities. The move also follows the recent appointment of Prof Michael Murphy as the new president of UCC.
UL has a six-year strategic plan aimed at developing a range of its programmes, including new academic disciplines such as medicine, architecture, humanities and the built environment. The university's development plans, supported by a capital investment plan of some €250 million, also include significant expansion of its research activity in accordance with the Government's policy for fourth level.
Prof Barry's appointment is for a 10-year term in accordance with the Universities Act 1997. Last night, Prof Barry said he was "genuinely honoured" and wished to further advance the university over the coming decade with the help of his colleagues and others.