A leading authority on employment law and industrial relations has been appointed president of Dublin City University (DCU).
Polish-born Prof Ferdinand von Prondzynski (45) will succeed Dr Daniel O'Hare, who completed his term in August. Prof von Prondzynski is currently professor of law and dean of the faculty of social sciences at the University of Hull in England. He will take up his position in July.
He told The Irish Times he wanted to expand the associations DCU had with industry and enable it to occupy a "large niche" in the university sector. He said the university might also consider offering arts courses, although the governing authority would have to consider all future developments first.
It was his view that higher education in Ireland was seriously underfunded, which meant universities such as DCU would have to do even more to raise finance from private sources.
He said the recent recommendation from the Points Commission that 15 per cent of places be reserved for mature students at third level would suit DCU. "DCU is actively looking at increasing the numbers in that area and has a major tradition of attracting mature learners," he said.
The selection of a new president was delayed after negotiations with another candidate broke down at the last moment. This applicant, who is understood to have been working with the International Monetary Fund, cited family reasons for not taking the post.
Prof von Prondzynski has a long association with Ireland, and moved here with his family in the late 1950s. His father owned a farm in Westmeath and he attended Headfort School in Kells, Co Meath.
He later studied at Trinity College and lectured there between 1980 and 1990. He has written Employment Law in Ireland and is the author of several publications on EU law.
He has worked for Dresdner Bank and Cadbury Schweppes, and is married to the novelist Dr Heather Ingam.
DCU has approximately 10,000 students on 33 undergraduate and 32 postgraduate degree programmes.