Professor Colin Scott

An internationally recognised expert on regulatory governance, with particular interests in accountability, private regulation and reflexive governance, Professor Scott is currently principal of UCD College of Social Sciences and Law, Dean of Social Sciences and vice-president for equality, diversity and inclusion.

He joined the university as professor of EU regulation and governance in 2006, moving from the London School of Economics where he was the first director of the innovative interdisciplinary MSc in Regulation.

He has been a senior research Fellow in public law at the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University, and was professor at the College of Europe, Bruges.

Professor Scott will take up the new post from 1 December 2023, taking over from Professor Barbara Dooley who has filled the role in an acting capacity.

Commenting on the appointment, UCD president Professor Orla Feely said: “Colin is a creative and dynamic academic leader, with a strong focus on our students.

“He has led the transformation of social sciences undergraduate education, the diversification and growth of graduate programmes and growth in research in the social sciences and related disciplines at UCD.

“As UCD’s first vice-president for EDI, Colin has led on the development of policy, strategy and structures which underpin UCD’s commitment to further developing an inclusive culture for students and employees of the university.

“Previously, as Dean of law, Colin led the diversification of entry into UCD’s law programmes and the expansion of legal education to embrace more experiential and clinical approaches to learning in the then new UCD Sutherland School of Law building.

“I greatly look forward to working closely with Colin to deliver on our shared ambitions for UCD.”

Professor Scott added: “I feel honoured to be appointed to this important leadership role in our great university.

“I look forward to working with our president, and with colleagues and students across the university, to build strategically on UCD’s immense strengths.

“I envision UCD with highly distinctive offerings for learning and student experience characterised by excellence, inclusion and connectedness, with structures which support both employees and students to adapt to our changing world and to flourish.”