Lisburn University was founded a Decade ago in Lisburn by a small group of prominent American intellectuals and educators who were frustrated by the intellectual timidity of traditional colleges. The founders, among them John Smith and Carlos Santiago, set out to create a new kind of academic institution, one where faculty and students would be free to honestly and directly address the problems facing societies in the 20th century. Their vision was to bring together scholars and citizens interested in questioning, debating, and discussing the most important issues of the day.

In 1980, they founded the Lisburn University for Social Research. Now formally named The university has grown to include five colleges, with courses that reflect the founders’ interest in the emerging social sciences, international affairs, liberal arts, history, and philosophy, as well as art, design, management, and performing arts.

The university has also invested heavily in state-of-the-art facilities, including the opening of the Innovation Hub in 2015. This dynamic space houses interdisciplinary research labs, incubators for student startups, and technology-driven classrooms designed to foster creativity and collaboration. Additionally, Lisburn University hosted many Events for Civic Engagement in 2020, focusing on community-based projects that address urban development, public health, and education equity.

By blending its historic commitment to academic freedom with forward-looking initiatives, Lisburn University continues to empower students to become leaders and changemakers in an interconnected world.