The International Office of Mary Immaculate College has been named winner of the International Engagement Award at the Education Awards 2026, recognised for a coordinated and inclusive approach to global engagement that has widened access to international opportunities, strengthened long-term partnerships, and delivered measurable impact for students and the wider education community.

The submission presented a team operating across the full spectrum of international education activity, from global partnerships and student mobility to recruitment, funding, and student support. That breadth of function, coordinated through a clear strategic framework, gave judges a picture of an office working with both ambition and discipline, ensuring that international engagement at Mary Immaculate College is not a peripheral activity but a central and well-resourced institutional priority.

The team's ability to sustain impactful engagement in a challenging global environment was a particular point of recognition, demonstrating the kind of resilience and creative problem-solving that distinguishes exceptional international offices from those simply maintaining the status quo.

Judges were clear in their assessment. "The entrant showcased key, successful initiatives and challenges, demonstrating a commitment to excellence in international outreach. The team's dedication to impactful engagement, even in a challenging global environment, is highly commendable," the panel stated.

The International Engagement Award recognises non-academic staff at third-level institutions making an outstanding contribution to international education, cultural understanding, and global experiences that directly benefit their organisation's community, assessed across initiatives, challenges overcome, and the measurable contributions and achievements delivered over the past twelve months.

The 2026 awards gala took place on 16 April at the Johnstown Estate, Enfield, Co. Meath. The Education Awards recognise and celebrate excellence across the third level education sector on the island of Ireland, welcoming entries from both state and privately funded institutions across categories spanning apprenticeship programmes, digital transformation, international engagement, student experience, research, sustainability, and marketing and communications, among many others.

For this year, the judging panel was coordinated by Willie Donnelly, Director of Research and Innovation at the Technical Higher Education Association, and included senior figures from across Irish and international higher education, among them Professor Georgina Andrews, Vice-Chancellor of Bath Spa University, Professor Rachael Langford, President and Vice-Chancellor of Cardiff Metropolitan University, and Professor Colette Henry of Dundalk Institute of Technology.

For the complete 2026 winners list, category insights, and institution profiles, visit the official Education Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and insights.