Colleges and universities do many things to distinguish themselves with excellence, from chasing rankings to highlighting Fulbright research to touting their alumni. But one rarely used tool is to distinguish a university by its teaching excellence. Teaching excellence is a factor that the public deeply values when it comes to what makes the “best university”—more so even than research, job placement, student satisfaction, and sports teams (Campbell, 2024). In fact, teaching excellence may be a key factor to bolstering public trust in higher education.
Beyond Programs: Leadership Lessons from Ireland’s Inclusive Universities
During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Ashley Rodrigues
July 20, 2026
