September Conor Brady Appointed Honorary Professor of Journalism at NUI Galway

Professor Conor Brady, the former Editor of The Irish Times, has been appointed an Honorary Professor at NUI Galway. Professor Brady will work with NUI Galway in the development of a new innovation stream on the University’s MA in Journalism programme, designed to prepare graduates to work in future roles as digital content creators and innovators in the media industry.

Professor Brady will also lecture in the history of media to BA Journalism students and will chair the University’s Editorial Advisory Board, a group of external journalists and editors that advises the university on best practice in journalism education.

Head of Journalism and Communication Tom Felle said: “Professor Brady would bring a wealth of experience to his new role. NUI Galway has a long history of journalism education and our BA Journalism – relaunched in 2019 – is the top points programme in the country in its category. Our prestigious MA Journalism and MA Sports Journalism and Communication now attract graduates from around the world.

“2020 marks the start of a major period of expansion for NUI Galway in media and the creative industries. We have ambitious plans to develop new streams in global financial journalism; climate action; human rights; and a very specialised programme in digital journalism incorporating social media as well as data analytics. We are delighted that Conor has agreed to join us to help us achieve our goals at NUI Galway as we strive to develop an international centre of excellence in journalism and wider media education in the West of Ireland.”

Professor Brady said: “I am greatly honoured to be invited to contribute to the development of journalism and media studies at the vibrant and progressive NUI Galway. The technologies, the delivery vehicles, of 21st Century journalism are changing constantly. But it is essential in parallel to preserve Irish journalism’s legacy values of truthfulness, courage, respect and fairness and to ensure that they are embedded in contemporary practice.”

Conor is one of Ireland’s more experienced journalists and editors. He served as Editor of The Irish Times from 1986 until 2002, and previously worked for RTÉ and the Sunday Tribune. He worked in a number of postings for the Times including in Northern Ireland, the London Bureau, and the European Desk. He reported on the conflict in Rhodesia, later Zimbabwe, in the 1970s, and was chair of the World Editors’ Forum from 1996 to 2000.

Professor Brady has previously held academic positions as Visiting Professor at John Jay College, City University of New York, and as a Senior Teaching Fellow at the Smurfit Business School in UCD. He was a member of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission from 2005 to 2011. He is chair of the Top Level Appointments Commission (TLAC), which selects leadership for senior public service positions. He is a director of the Institute of International and European Affairs (IIEA) and is vice chair of Midlands Radio 103.

Professor Brady is also co-founder of Caliber AI, an Enterprise Ireland-funded project, currently developing artificial intelligence to assist in the pre-publication detection of defamatory or toxic content. 

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