The Governing Body of National College of Ireland today announces Dr Emma Stokes as incoming President of National College of Ireland. She will take up the role from 1st October, 2026. Chair of NCI’s Governing Body, Brendan McGinty comments:
“Dr Stokes brings an impressive range of deep experience in governance, academic leadership and quality assurance and has been a consistent advocate for research, academic quality and learner-centred education.
“A significant aspect of Emma’s career has been building capacity. She has also taught and lectured in over 40 countries. With the support of the Governing Body, staff and students, we look forward to her strong and successful leadership for the next important phase of development at National College of Ireland as we continue to deliver on our mission of changing lives through education.”
Dr Stokes qualified as a physiotherapist in 1990. She is a Fellow of Trinity College Dublin and the Irish Society of Chartered Physiotherapists. She has three decades of experience, both nationally and internationally, working in higher education. She served as President of World Physiotherapy from 2015-2023 and was appointed as Vice President for Global Engagement at Trinity College Dublin in 2021. She says:
“The foundations of National College of Ireland are built on a commitment to access to education and its transformative impact on individuals and communities. NCI’s commitment to that ethos is as true now, as it celebrates its 75th anniversary, as it was at its foundation.
"To serve as NCI’s President is an enormous honour and I am committed to continuing the college’s mission of changing lives through education. This commitment has informed my work in education over three decades. I truly believe education changes lives and communities for the better.
"I look forward to the opportunity to work with such a dedicated community – students, staff and partners - and our enormously impactful Early Learning Initiative.”
National College of Ireland’s mission is ‘to change lives through education’. A HEA-funded, not-for-profit, independent, third-level institution, with over 6,500 students across its key areas of human relations, business, computing, education and psychology, NCI has recently extended its foothold in Dublin’s North-East Inner City. Located at the intersection of the IFSC and the Silicon Docks, with campus buildings at Mayor Square and now at Spencer Dock, NCI has strong connections with the businesses surrounding it.
In 2026, the college celebrates 75 years of working with employers to identify skills gaps and delivering cutting edge education and careers service to ambitious students, NCI has a consistently high graduate employment rate and has produced many entrepreneurs amongst its 80,000 alumni worldwide.
National College of Ireland is informed by values of inclusion, community, integrity, dynamic innovation, centering the learner, and excellence: both striving for it as an institution and fostering it in students.
Brendan McGinty, Chairperson of NCI’s Governing Body, is a Managing Partner at Stratis Consulting. He has served as Chairperson of the Board of Skillnet Ireland and was previously a member of the leadership team of Irelands business organisation Ibec, where he had a successful career as National Director of Industrial Relations & Human Resource Services.
Professor Gina Quin retired as President of NCI at the end of August 2026, having served two terms (ten years).