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PHOTOS: International Students take part in University of Limerick’s initiative Limerick Inside Out

Pictured in the Cleeves Condensed Milk Factory for the Limerick Inside Out initiative with the ‘Bread Not Profits’ cast and crew are Aiden Crowe, cast member, Tracey Gleeson, UL Senior Administrator, Cllr James Collins, Mayor of Limerick City and Council and Mike Fynn, author of ‘Breads Not Profits’. Picture: Conor Owens/ilovelimerick.

PHOTOS: International Students take part in University of Limerick’s initiative Limerick Inside Out


 

International students studying in the University of Limerick are being given a unique insight into the life of Limerick as part of a new programme, aimed at bringing more students into the city centre to work with community groups on real-world projects.

Limerick Inside Out was a pilot initiative at UL, run in collaboration with Limerick City and County Council, which invited 34 international students to share their perceptions, insights, and understandings of local challenges to develop positive social change in Limerick communities.
Demand for the module was unprecedented, with three times the number of students applying compared to the available spaces on the programme.

Josephine Page, Director International Education Division said “The programmes offers international students an exceptional opportunity to encounter the people and culture of the city they are studying in. This very special experience highlights UL as a distinctive education destination for international students”

International students account for 17% of the total student population at UL, and generate significant economic benefits to the surrounding region, with this number only likely to increase in the coming years. Innovative programmes, such as Limerick Inside-Out, are aimed at both offering a transformational learning experience for UL students, while also building community relationships and simultaneously raising the global profile of Limerick.

The module provides everyday experiential learning instead of a more traditional classroom based approach. Located in a variety of historic and modern spaces in the city centre, it is designed to provide students with real-world direct experiences of the city as they contribute to community identified projects. Prof. Kerstin Mey, UL Vice President of Student Engagement and Academic Affairs said: “Limerick Inside Out has helped to strengthen existing and ignite valuable new community connections, which we look forward to expanding and deepening in the future.”

Preliminary discussions are underway with LCCC and community partners to see how the programme can be developed. UL intends to create a portfolio of modules with different core themes. Next semester the Limerick Inside –Out will focus on ‘global citizenship’, with ‘health’ and ‘digital’ versions also in the early stages of planning.

The final exhibition of the student work from the pilot Limerick Inside Out was held at the historic Cleeve’s Factory site on April 10, in collaboration with Bread Not Profits theatre performance. The cast of Bread Not Profits also performed a short scene from the upcoming play, which will run from April 16 to 27 at Cleeve’s Factory. The exhibition created a modern interpretation of the 1916 international journalist’s role in bringing events of the Limerick Soviet to global attention.

For more information about Limerick Inside Out visit
For more stories about Bread Not Profits go here

Pictures: Conor Owens 

Richard is a presenter, producer, songwriter and actor. He was named the Limerick Person of the Year (2011) and won an online award at the Metro Éireann Media and Multicultural Awards (2011) for promoting multi-culturalism online. Richard says that the ilovelimerick.com concept is very much a community driven project that aims to document life in Limerick. So, that in 20 years time people can look back and remember the events that were making the headlines.