Paul McSweeney

Background

About Paul McSweeney

Professor Paul McSweeney MRIA is Vice-President for Learning and Teaching in University College Cork. His office coordinates the activities of the University’s Centre for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), Adult Continuing Education (ACE), Centre for Digital Education, Skills Centre, Examinations Appeals, Careers' Service and the university's Library system and Cork University Press, together with responsibility for delivering aspects of the University’s Academic Strategy and strategic plan. Holding a Personal Chair in Food Chemistry, he has an active research profile in dairy chemistry and cheese science. He is the co-author or co-editor of 18 books and numerous research papers and reviews with a h-index of 82 with nearly citations (Google Scholar; March 2025). He was awarded the Marschall Danisco International Dairy Science Award of the American Dairy Science Association in 2004, a higher doctorate (DSc) on published work by the National University of Ireland (2009) and in 2025 was elected to the Royal Irish Academy. He is a member of most academic committees in UCC and past chair of its Examinations Appeals Committee and Academic Development and Standards Committee. He is a regular chair of quality enhancement panels in UCC and has participated in quality reviews of academic schools in Ireland and of programmes and HEIs abroad. He is also a member of the Student Experience, Teaching and Learning committee of Ireland's Higher Education Authority which guides the activities of National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education. Prof McSweeney has considerable leadership experience in higher education. He was vice-head of school, vice-head of the College of Science, Engineering and Food Science, interim Head of College, a governor of the university (2015-2018) and member of its Finance Committee and head of the School of Food and Nutritional Sciences. He was appointed Vice-President for Learning and Teaching in 2018 and acted as Vice-President for External Relations for five months in 2020.