Limerick professor receives UN Honour for lifelong commitment to education

LIMERICK-BASED academic Professor Emeritus Sheila Killian has made history by becoming one of the first individuals in the world to receive honorary life membership from the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) initiative.

Professor Killian, who served for thirty years at the University of Limerick’s Kemmy Business School (KBS), was honoured alongside Professor Emeritus Carole Parkes of the University of Winchester in the UK. This is the first time the UN PRME, a global initiative focused on sustainability and ethics in management education, has conferred such a distinction.

The award recognises Professor Killian’s lifelong commitment to embedding values such as responsibility, inclusion, and sustainability in business education. 

Her work has not only shaped academic thinking in Ireland and internationally, but also strengthened the reputation of the Kemmy Business School as a centre of excellence with a deep commitment to social justice.

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Throughout her career, Professor Killian contributed to the development of teaching and research that prioritises ethics and the public good, in keeping with the values of Jim Kemmy, the late Limerick politician after whom the school is named. 

The school continues to reflect his legacy through its focus on equity, access to education, and community impact.

This landmark recognition from the United Nations places both Professor Killian and the University of Limerick at the forefront of global efforts to reform business education in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

The announcement has been welcomed across the university and the wider Limerick community, where Professor Killian is known not only for her academic leadership but also for her long-standing engagement in social and educational initiatives.