News & Events

Labhraíonn déagóirí Gaeltachta amach ar son na timpeallachta Léigh an teachtaireacht agus éist leis na déagóirí ag: www.universityofgalway.ie/cop28   Tá 20 dalta meánscoile ó Chois Fharraige i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe tar éis labhairt amach faoina gcuid tuairimí agus imní maidir leis an athrú aeráide. Tá an litir a scríobh siad, agus físeán atá bunaithe air, á roinnt ar líne le linn COP28 – an chomhdháil dhomhanda faoi chúrsaí aeráide atá á reáchtáil ag na Násiúin Aontaithe in Dubai faoi láthair. D’oibrigh daltaí i gColáiste Chroí Mhuire, an Spidéal, agus Coláiste Cholmcille, in Indreabhán, in éineacht le baill foirne Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, foireann Fhóram Chois Fharraige um Phleanáil Teanga, agus aoichainteoirí ar chúrsaí timpeallachta chun an teachtaireacht a scríobh.  Le linn trí cheardlann, phléigh siad an timpeallacht anseo in iarthar na hÉireann, na hathruithe atá tagtha ar an aeráid agus an timpeallacht de réir an taighde, agus na mothúcháin atá acu maidir leis na hathruithe sin. Is i nGaeilge a reáchtáladh na ceardlanna ar fad, le haoichainteoirí atá lonnaithe sa cheantar, ina measc: Seathrún Ó Tuairisg (Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge), a labhair faoina thogra Flóra Chois Fharraige Nuala Ní Chonghaile (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe), a labhair faoi ról speisialta an phortaigh Ríonach Ní Néill (Ciotóg), atá ina healaíontóir agus gníomhaí pobail, agus a labhair faoin ardú ar leibhéal na farraige Aonghus Ó Coisdealbha (An Garraí Glas), a labhair faoi thionchar an athrú aeráide ar an bhfeirmeoireacht Ananda Geluk (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) a bhí ina háisitheoir don cheardlann dheireanach Is é an Dr John Caulfield (Ollscoil na Gaillimhe) a stiúraigh an togra. Dar leis: “Murar féidir linn dul i ngleic leis an athrú aeráide, is iad an t-aos óg a bheidh thíos leis. B’in é an fáth gur oibrigh muid le daltaí meánscoile i gCois Fharraige chun cuidiú leo a gcuid dóchais agus imní maidir leis an athrú aeráide a roinnt leis an domhan mór. Ní hionann an t-athrú aeráide gach áit ar domhan, agus déanann na déagóirí cur síos cumhachtach ar an tionchar atá aige in iarthar na hÉireann ag an bpointe seo.” Buíochas leis na múinteoirí Bróna Ní Uallacháin (Coláiste Chroí Mhuire) agus Dónal Ó Fátharta (Coláiste Cholmcille) agus le Katie Ní Loingsigh agus Saoirse Holic ó Fhóram Chois Fharraige um Phleanáil Teanga a chuidigh leis an togra.    Téacs na litreach A Dhomhain Mhóir, Ón bpobal beag seo ar imeall na hEorpa, tá bhur gcuid cúnaimh á éileamh againn. Tá cónaí orainn ar chósta thiar na hÉireann, idir portach agus cladach, áit a raibh meas riamh ann ar an bhfarraige. Nuair a bhíonn sí socair téimid ag snámh agus ag iascaireacht. Ach le teacht an athrú aeráide, tá na rudaí is luachmhaire linn ag éirí ina mbagairt. Léiríonn an taighde go bhfuil leibhéal agus teocht na farraige ag fás go leanúnach. Feicimid go bhfuil stoirmeacha an Atlantaigh níos cumhachtaí, níos coitianta. Tá líon na báistí ag méadú gan stad. Is cosúil go bhfuil na séasúir féin as a riocht.  Táimid buíoch as an trá, na garrantaí, an portach agus gach a mhaireann ann. Ach táimid buartha freisin. Fiú le linn ár saoil, feicimid taisce na timpeallachta ag dul i léig.  Ní hé an t-aos óg a dhóigh an ola, a bhain an mhóin, a leag na crainnte. Ach is muid a bheas thíos leis. Tá an ghlúin seo réidh le tabhairt faoin athrú aeráide le fonn agus fuinneamh. Ach an bhfuil sibhse?  Seasaimis le chéile, mar phobal daonna domhanda, is déanaimis beart de réir ár mbriathar. Is muide le dóchas, Déagóirí Chois Fharraige.   Críoch

University of Galway pioneers new, immersive approach to learning for students and educators    Government Chief Whip and Minister of State for Public Health and Wellbeing and the National Drugs Strategy Hildegarde Naughton T.D. has launched a virtual reality (VR) learning system for nursing education, pioneered by University of Galway.  Funded through the ERASMUS+ programme, the ViReTrain project offers nursing students and educators immersive eLearning experiences, preparing them for the complex demands of healthcare delivery. With a focus on authentic, complex scenarios in virtual reality, the project is an innovative teaching strategy for academics and faculty working in nursing education. ViReTrain is unique in the emerging field of VR technology in the education of health professionals with the technology and VR scenarios being made available free of charge to nurse educators and their students. ViReTrain draws on expertise of researchers in a European higher education partnership - University of Galway; FH Muenster in Germany; Via University College in Aarhus, Denmark; and the University of Turku in Finland, who partnered with a software company, Ingenious Knowledge GmbH (Germany). ViReTrain's virtual reality simulations mirror nursing care in practice, where students can practice clinical skills, use the nursing process, employ critical thinking skills, make informed decisions, and take actions that address individual patient needs. Each scenario is tied to specific learning outcomes, encompassing both technical and non-technical skills.  Government Chief Whip and Minister of State Hildegarde Naughton said: "The ViReTrain virtual reality education for nurses is a remarkable step towards the future of healthcare education. By combining cutting-edge technology with a commitment to excellence, this project ensures that nurses will be even better prepared to deliver high-quality, safe and exceptional care to patients. Adopting this type of technology and opportunity for learning is both innovative and accessible and aligns with our commitment to improving healthcare standards and fostering international collaboration, further advancing our nation's healthcare system."  Professor Martin O’Donnell, Executive Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Science at University of Galway, said: "By immersing students in authentic, complex scenarios ViReTrain cultivates critical thinking, decision-making, and technical expertise crucial for delivering patient-centered care. This innovative initiative not only enhances the quality of clinical nursing education but also underscores our commitment to fostering international collaboration and advancing healthcare standards. We are proud to lead this ground-breaking effort and make this transformative learning experience freely accessible to nursing educators and students, furthering our dedication to excellence in healthcare education.” Dr Siobhan Smyth, Principal Investigator and a lecturer in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: “ViReTrain empowers students and educators with an innovative, accessible and immersive learning tool. In this European project, we developed complex, authentic VR scenarios and modules, providing nurse educators with an educational framework and the software required to introduce VR simulation into their curricula. The project offers students the opportunity to acquire nursing skills in a safe and interactive environment that complements existing learning strategies.” Trish Galvin, Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Stroke at University Hospital Galway, which forms part of the Saolta University Health Care Group said: “It’s amazing to see where stroke medicine has come over the last number of years in terms of acute interventions, improvements in outcome for patients in terms of mortality and morbidity. Today it has now entered the world of virtual reality,  and to see nursing at the forefront is fantastic because the role of the nurse is central to patients journeys on the stroke pathway.” What is the virtual reality learning system for nursing educators? The Virtual Reality scenarios have been crafted by project researchers, offering nursing students invaluable experiential learning opportunities and helping them to prepare for the multifaceted challenges they will encounter in clinical practice. How does the VR simulation work? Students don a VR headset and hold VR hand controllers to enter a virtual clinical ward. Here, they meet a VR patient and are tasked with providing nursing care within the context of the VR scenario. Similar to physical, and in-person simulation, a VR simulation includes a pre-briefing and a debriefing to maximise the learning experience. What is the role of the nursing student? Students assume the role of a newly qualified nurse, providing care to an individual patient. The patient's personal and clinical situation evolves, and the student's decisions influence responses by the patient and other staff members, as well as the patient's condition. Ends

University of Galway supports local school students as official observer delegation attends Dubai summit   To coincide with University of Galway's official observer status at the COP28 global summit, a "Dear World" message from a group of young people is being shared. The letter, and video which can be viewed here on YouTube, have been created to articulate the hopes and fears about the climate crisis of students in two post-primary schools in the Cois Fharraige Gaeltacht in Galway. The Cois Fharraige to COP project, which was conducted entirely through the Irish language, coincides with the attendance of a five strong delegation of University of Galway academics and researchers at the summit - the first time the University has been represented with official observer status. Twenty students from Coistí Glasa, or Green Committees, in Coláiste Chroí Mhuire, an Spidéal (Spiddal) and Coláiste Cholmcille, Indreabhán (Inverin) participated in three workshops organised by a team from the University, supported by Fóram Chois Fharraige um Phleanáil Teanga. Guest speakers were brought in to help gather student inputs and ideas on issues related to the negotiations at COP28. The students heard about distinctive flora in the area, the importance of peatlands, the challenge of rising sea levels and the impact of climate change on agriculture. The workshops led to the students helping to draft a letter to the world to express their views:   Dear World, From this small community on the edge of Europe, we’re asking for help.  We live on the west coast of Ireland, between peat bogland and the shore, in a place that has always had respect for the sea. When it’s calm, we go swimming and fishing. But with the advent of climate change, the things we value most are turning into a threat.  Research shows that sea levels and temperatures continue to rise. We see that Atlantic storms are getting more powerful, more frequent. Rainfall levels are growing continuously. And it feels like the seasons are out of sync. We are grateful for the beach, the fields, the blanket bog and everything that lives and grows there. But we are worried too. Even during our lifetime, we can see nature’s treasure in decline. It wasn’t young people who burnt the oil, cut the turf, felled the trees. But we will suffer the consequences most of all. This generation is ready to tackle climate change with enthusiasm and energy. But are you? Let’s stand together, as one global community, and turn our words into action. Yours hopefully, Young people of Cois Fharraige.   The sentiments were subsequently recorded on video as a message from young people in Connemara, on the edge of Ireland and Europe, to global leaders at COP28. Full details of the project are on https://www.universityofgalway.ie/cop28/ President of University of Galway, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “While our University is embedded in our community and is deeply conscious of the role we can play for the public good by attending COP28, we are also here to offer opportunity to those in our community to play their part. The students who supported the Cois Fharraige to COP project have created a message to the world at what is clearly a critical juncture. The impact of humanity’s effect on the planet is becoming visible on all corners and the message from young people, here in the west of Ireland, is a unique perspective on how the climate and biodiversity crises are having an impact, in the present tense. The time is now and we hope their thoughts make an impression and resonate as loudly as the calls for action at COP28.” The University of Galway delegation at COP28 includes Professor of Engineering Jamie Goggins, Professor Charlie Spillane, Director of University of Galway’s Ryan Institute; Dr Una Murray, lecturer and researcher in Geography and with the Ryan Institute; and two researchers studying for PhD - Yuhan Zheng and Lala Rukh Memon. Dr John Caulfield, Director of Strategy Implementation at University of Galway, who led the Cois Fharraige to COP project, said: “If we don’t take action to tackle climate change, our young people will suffer the consequences. That’s why we worked with secondary school students in Cois Fharraige to help them express their hopes and fears about our changing climate with the world. Climate change is felt differently depending on where you live, and our teenagers have described in a compelling way how climate change is impacting the west of Ireland here and now.” While 20 students from the two schools took part in the Cois Fharraige to COP project, six feature in the video: Coláiste Chroí Mhuire, an Spidéal – Kate Ní Raghallaigh, Ella Nic Dhomhnaill, Chloe Ní Choisdealbha; Coláiste Cholmcille, Indreabhán – Daniel Mac Eochagáin, Aodán Ó Donnchadha, Paul Bheilbigh. Ends