22 October 2026
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Munster Technological University (MTU) has today conferred an honorary doctorate on former President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Irish public life, the arts, culture, education and human rights.
Michael D. Higgins, former President of Ireland, pictured as he was conferred with an honorary doctorate at MTU Cork School of Music, Union Quay, Cork, on Thursday, 22 October 2026. Picture: Joleen Cronin.
A distinguished academic, writer and poet, the former President has long championed wider access to education, fostering artistic expression and promoting a more inclusive society. As Ireland’s first Minister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht, he played a defining role in shaping Ireland’s cultural landscape, revitalising the Irish film industry, establishing Teilifís na Gaeilge (now TG4) and expanding access to arts and cultural venues throughout Ireland.
Mr Higgins served as Ireland’s ninth President, taking office in November 2011 and being re-elected for a second term in November 2018. Throughout his life, he has been a strong advocate for human rights, social justice and inclusive citizenship, consistently highlighting the importance of culture, creativity and education in public life.
Professor Maggie Cusack, President of Munster Technological University, said:
“Former President Michael D. Higgins has helped to shape how Ireland values its artists, its language and its cultural heritage. His lifelong commitment to widening access to education also reflects MTU’s own mission to create opportunities, nurture talent and enable people from all backgrounds to fulfil their potential”
Before becoming President, Mr Higgins served at every level of public life in Ireland, including as a member of Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann and as Lord Mayor of Galway. He also lectured in political science and sociology at the National University of Ireland, Galway and in the United States. A strong advocate for broadening participation in higher education, he was closely involved in developing outreach programmes that brought evening classes to communities across the west of Ireland.
His advocacy for peace and human rights extended well beyond Ireland. In 1992 he became the first recipient of the Seán MacBride Peace Prize awarded by the International Peace Bureau in recognition of his work promotion international justice. He was the recipient of the Agricola Medal of the Food and Agriculture Organization from the UN for his work on food security in 2024, the Inaugural Medal of the Law Society for work contributing to equality in 2025 and a number of other awards for work in justice and human rights.
Alongside his public service, Mr. Higgins has made a significant contribution to Irish literature as an essayist and commentator, publishing collections of poetry and works exploring politics, culture and society. The honorary doctorate from MTU recognises the breadth of his achievements and his longstanding contribution to Ireland’s cultural, educational and civic life.