The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Mrs Mary Robinson, has been elected Chancellor of the University of Dublin by the Trinity College Dublin senate.
She becomes the first woman in the university's 406-year history elected to this position. She will be installed as Chancellor on December 17th.
Mrs Robinson graduated with a first class TCD law degree in 1967. She was Reid Professor of Constitutional and Criminal Law from 1969 to 1975, and lectured in European law from 1972 to 1990. She represented the university in Seanad Eireann from 1969 to 1989. From 1990 to 1997 she was President of Ireland.
Mrs Robinson will replace Dr A.J.F. O'Reilly as chancellor. The chancellor is the titular head of the University of Dublin, of which Trinity College is the sole constituent college, and represents it on ceremonial occasions.