Mater Dei Institute of Education

Template:Infobox university Mater Dei Institute of Education (Template:Langx) was a linked college of Dublin City University from 1999 until its closure in 2016, located in Drumcondra, Dublin City, Ireland, near Croke Park, on the site of what was formerly Clonliffe College, the Roman Catholic Seminary for the Archdiocese of Dublin. The college was founded by Archbishop John Charles McQuaid in 1966 as an institute for the training and formation for teachers of religion in secondary schools in the Republic of Ireland. Clonliffe was also affiliated to the Angelicum in Rome that offered a three-year course leading to a diploma and a four-year course leading to a master's degree; Fr. Joseph Carroll was its first president.<ref>John Charles McQuaid: ruler of Catholic Ireland by John Cooney, O'Brien Press, 1999.</ref> Other Presidents of the College included Msgr. Michael Nolan, Dr. Dermot Lane and Sr. Eileen Randles IBVN (1986-1995). The foundation of the college was a response to the challenges posed by the Second Vatican Council. It had a Roman Catholic ethos and had approximately 800 students.

The college closed on 30 November 2016 when it was fully incorporated into the DCU Institute of Education, within which is The Mater Dei Centre for Catholic Education (MDCCE) continuing its mission.

The college offered several undergraduate courses, primarily in secondary religious education and specialized its postgraduate courses (including Doctorates) in religion, the humanities and education, and faith and culture as well as theology and philosophy in dialogue. The BA and MA in Religious Science were accredited by Maynooth(Pontifical University) which Mater Dei was affiliated to.<ref>Other Canonical Degrees Statues of the Pontifical University, Maynooth College, October 1, 1998.</ref>

In 1999 Mater Dei Institute of Education became a College of Dublin City University.<ref>Mater Dei Institute of Education launches strategic plan: Religion, Education and the Arts: Teaching and Learning in a Changing Ireland Press Release DCU Website, 20 October 2003</ref>

In 2002 it established an Irish Studies Department and offered a BA programme in Religious Studies and Irish Studies. The Institute saw this as a contribution to the understanding what was engendered by the Good Friday Agreement. The Institute also had links with colleges in Northern Ireland, France, Italy and the USA. Mater Dei partners with the Methodist Edgehill Theological College (Belfast) co-offering such programmes as a BTh exploring faith together.<ref>Edgehill Theological College - Exploring Theology Together Template:Webarchive</ref>

In 2008 the relationship linking Dublin City University with All Hallows, St. Patrick's College of Education, Drumcondra and Mater Dei Institute of Education was revised. <ref>Speech by the Taoiseach, Mr. Bertie Ahern, T.D., at the signing of a new linkage agreement and revised linkage agreements between All Hallows College, St. Patrick's College, the Mater Dei Institute and the Governing Authority of Dublin City University on Monday, 4 February 2008 at 3.30pmTemplate:Dead link</ref>

The Institute was engaged in the Erasmus student exchange programme with other colleges in Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Spain.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

A photo of the former Mater Dei campus on Clonliffe Road, Dublin

External links

• Template:Official website