National College of Ireland is celebrating 75 years of ‘changing lives through education.’  To mark this milestone anniversary year, the academic team is hosting a conference highlighting innovative and interdisciplinary research and exhibiting examples of collaboration between NCI's academic teams, local and international industry, and community stakeholders. The conference is titled, “Shaping the Future: Advancing Knowledge for Societal & Community Benefit.”  

This event is open to all. NCI warmly invites you to attend to enjoy a day of collaboration, ideas, passion, and discussions about how the research taking place at NCI is being conducted in order to contribute to society so that the College, students, staff, and local community and beyond can thrive.  

You can Register to Attend here.  

Event details: 

Date: Thursday 29th October 2026 
Time: 9am - 4pm 
Admission: Free 
Location: National College of Ireland, Mayor Square Campus 

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The conference will bring together academics, researchers, students, industry partners, and community stakeholders to showcase research that contributes to meaningful societal and community benefit.  

Anyone interested in the theme of the conference, specifically in areas of artificial intelligence, sustainability, technology-enhanced learning, community-based initiatives, applied research for social change, wellbeing and resilience, and social responsibility is more than welcome to attend. The aim of the conference is to share and celebrate knowledge and inspire all to continue to explore new ways to collaborate and better the future for everyone.  

Conor Nolan, Vice Dean for Social Sciences at NCI, said, “NCI's mission is to ‘change lives through education.’ This demonstrates NCI's commitment to making a meaningful impact on individuals' lives and on society more broadly. This commitment is also reflected in the extensive research undertaken at NCI. Education and research go hand in hand, and the quality of research carried out by NCI researchers, students, and ELI colleagues is exceptional. This conference provides an opportunity to showcase the meaningful research we conduct in the areas of business, psychology, computing, education, early intervention, and community engagement.” 

NCI's 75th anniversary academic conference keynote speaker 

Dr Kristin Hadfield is an Associate Professor at the School of Psychology and the Director of the Trinity Centre for Global Health at Trinity College Dublin. She will be the keynote speaker at NCI’s 75th Anniversary Academic Conference. 

Her research focuses on how the resilience, wellbeing, and mental health of young people can best be promoted. She is interested in what makes children and adolescents thrive when faced with adverse or challenging contexts.  

Professor Cristina Hava Muntean, Vice Dean of Academic Programmes and Research at NCI’s School of Computing, said, “Our 75th Anniversary Academic Conference is not only an opportunity to celebrate and showcase the research taking place at NCI, but also a valuable occasion for our faculty to engage in meaningful discussions, share knowledge and build connections with colleagues, and attendees from industry, universities, and local community. We are delighted to welcome Dr Kristin Hadfield from Trinity College Dublin as our keynote speaker. Her research is both fascinating and inspiring, and we look forward to hearing her insights. We are also looking forward to an engaging panel discussion that brings together representatives from academia and industry with expertise and experience in education, technology and innovation. The discussion will provide an excellent opportunity to exchange ideas and perspectives on the future of education and the role of emerging technologies in teaching, learning, and research.”  

In advance of October 29th, you can view the full schedule of events here.  

Conor Nolan, Vice Dean for Social Sciences at NCI, continued, “NCI has grown significantly over the last 75 years, and the research being presented at this conference demonstrates that NCI will continue to make significant contributions to society for many years to come.” 

Interested in attending NCI’s 75th Anniversary Academic Conference?  

Don't forget that you can Register to Attend here.