kelly led a european community delegation to the faculty of engineering & technology (fet) in the university of jordan from 1981 to 1986, and chaired the team which assisted in the establishment of the hiast, the higher institute of advanced science & technology in damascus, syria in 1987. he sat on ireland's national board of science and technology from 1982 to 1986. he was the founding chairman of the association for higher education access and disability, ahead, the irish national organisation for students with disabilities.