Twelve teaching, learning and research collaboration projects at University of Galway are to be supported by the European University Alliance - ENLIGHT and the Higher Education Authority (HEA).      ENLIGHT is an alliance of 10 universities, in 10 European countries, including University of Galway, which is supported by the European Commission and the HEA as it works towards the creation of a European University.    As part of the 12 ENLIGHT projects at University of Galway, academics will work in collaboration with their counterparts in eight countries on areas such as ageing, plastic pollution impacts, decolonising higher education, human rights and sustainability.    The projects are a result of a €4m fund being made available by ENLIGHT for collaborative projects in teaching, learning, research and outreach across the alliance, with more than €500,000 funding being allocated to support the 12 initiatives involving University of Galway and our ENLIGHT partners.     The funding was announced as part of the ENLIGHT general meeting which took place last week at the University of Bern in Switzerland. The focus of the meeting was on embedding the alliance in each partner institution.       Presidents from all ENLIGHT universities participated in discussions on priorities for the first half of 2025, including key topics such as increasing mobility, embedding education initiatives, supporting research and education collaborations, lifelong learning including Micro Credentials, sustainability, and impact of the alliance as a whole.      Interim President of University of Galway Professor Peter McHugh said: “ENLIGHT is a hugely positive initiative and one that has gone from strength to strength in the last few years, not least with the significant support of the European Commission and the HEA. As our meeting last week sought to embed the opportunities for collaboration in excellence in teaching, learning and research it is a tremendous statement to be able to combine that agenda with the announcement of support for 12 research projects in partnership with our ENLIGHT partners.”      Interim Deputy President and Registrar Professor Becky Whay said: “The focus of the ENLIGHT general meeting in Bern is on embedding the European University in each partner institution and in each country - our 12 projects are a wonderful symbol of just that, and the opportunities that our membership can bring. We look forward to seeing the collaborations with thanks to support at both the European and national level.”      The 12 collaboration projects supported are:   Kasia Whysall, College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, in collaboration with Bern, Groningen, Ghent, Tartu, University of the Basque Country - REACT - Research and Education in Ageing Collaborative Team   Olivier Thomas, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science & Engineering in partnership with Gent University; Groningen, University of the Basque Country on H2OPE: Human Health, Ocean Preservation and Food Ecosystems     Liam Morrison, School of Natural Sciences, College of Science & Engineering, in partnership with University of the Basque Country, Bordeaux, Ghent, Groningen, Bern, Tartu – on Fate and Impact of Plastics - from Macro to Nano - on Planetary Health     Manigandan Chockalingam, College of Medicine, Nursing & Health Sciences, in collaboration with Uppsala University on - ECCHOT: Beyond Boundaries: Exploring Intercultural Competence and Cultural Humility in Occupational Therapy     Illan Wall, School of Law, College of Business, Public Policy & Law in partnership with Ghent University, Bordeaux, Tartu on - CLS: Educational Network Teaching and Studying the Basics     Muriel Grenon, Biological and Chemical Sciences, College of Science & Engineering in partnership with University of Bordeaux and University of the Basque Country on SHARE: Supporting Higher Education and Research through Engagement     Laura Loftus, Office of the Vice-President Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, in partnership with Comenius University Bratislava and University of the Basque Country, on GELIE: Gender Equality and LGBT+ Inclusive Environments     Dr Helen Maher, Vice-President Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, with Ghent, Groningen, University of the Basque Country and Bordeaux, on DecCur: Decolonising and Diversifying our Curriculum, Research and Partnerships     Roisin Mulgrew, School of Law, College of Business, Public Policy & Law, with Uppsala, Groningen, Ghent, on WoSHuR2025: Workshop on the Online School on Human Rights 2025     Emma Holian, School of Mathematics and Statistical Sciences, College of Science & Engineering with Gottingen, Comenius University Bratislava on FOY (Figuring Out Y)     Michelle Comber, School of Geography and Archaeology, College of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies with Uppsala and University of the Basque Country on ITEM: International Training Excavation Module   Richard Manton, Director Sustainability, Office of the Deputy President and Registrar, with Gottingen, Bordeaux, Comenius University Bratislava on GreENLIGHT: Engaging Students on Sustainability.     In 2023, the European Commission announced ENLIGHT would be supported with a four-year, €14.4 million investment, with the intention that a significant portion of the funding would go towards academic initiatives, emphasizing the project’s commitment to supporting scholars.     University of Galway’s involvement in the European University Alliance is also supported nationally by the HEA.     The ENLIGHT alliance is made up of of 10 universities, in 10 European countries, with the shared goal of the creation of a European University. It includes: University of Galway; Comenius University, Bratislava (Slovakia); University of Groningen (Netherlands); University of Bordeaux (France); Gent University (Belgium); University of Tartu (Estonia); University of Gottingen (Germany); University of the Basque Country (Spain); Uppsala University (Sweden); and University of Bern (Switzerland).   Ends 

University of Galway has today launched its third annual report on Widening Participation, along with its first ever Sensory Campus Website.     The report is being published as the University’s Access Centre this year marks 25 years of supporting students from traditionally underrepresented groups and disadvantaged backgrounds. In that time, more than 3,500 people have come through Access programmes, securing opportunities to study at university that might otherwise not have been open to them.    The 2024 Widening Participation report shows the overall number of students from traditionally underrepresented groups continues to grow at University of Galway and it outlines the University's efforts to increase the equality of opportunity for all students.    By implementing targeted outreach programmes, scholarships, and support services, University of Galway seeks to remove barriers to education and foster diversity within its community. The report showcases the impact of these initiatives, such as increased enrolment and retention rates among marginalised groups. Professor Ciara Meehan, Dean of Students at University of Galway, said: “It is hugely important to celebrate our achievements in creating opportunities for people to study at University of Galway, as well as our students and the people who make that happen. Widening Participation has its foundation in the Access Centre, but with partnership across the University - which is crucial for student success. Our continual success in opening doors for people from underrepresented groups is testament to the value of embedding this work across our entire university community, for the benefit of the wider community.”   Findings from the 2024 Widening Participation report include:      From 2019/20 to 2023/24, some 595 students progressed to the University through the Further Education and Training entry route (more than double the figures on the previous five years) From 2010 to 2023, the University saw a 29% increase in students entering through Widening Participation routes - eg Mature student options; Further Education and Training; School Leavers Access programme; HEAR - Higher Education Access Route admissions scheme for Leaving Certificate students under 23 whose economic or social background are underrepresented in higher education; and DARE - Disability Access Route to Education admissions scheme for school-leavers under 23 whose disabilities have had a negative impact on their second level education. Some 739 students registered to study through the University Access Centre in 2023 - the highest level recorded. A 163% increase in students registering with the Access Centre Disability Support Service, which is available to students who need support or reasonable accommodations due to the impact of a disability, ongoing physical or mental health condition, or a specific learning difficulty.  Speaking about the report, Imelda Byrne, Head of Access, said: “We are delighted to share with our University partners and our external partners in the wider community the powerful work of the Access Centre and the University more broadly, in widening access and participation for those most under-represented in higher education.  “This third report highlights several Widening Participation activities, data on alternative pathways, student progression through their studies and into employment. This report illustrates why the University of Galway is becoming increasingly known for being a Widening Participation institution. We are grateful to successive governments for their investment, which must continue in order to narrow participation gaps and to create an inclusive environment that supports all students’ to access and successfully participate in university.”    Dr Daniel Savery, Widening Participation Officer at the University’s Access Centre, said: “A key focus of the Higher Education Authority’s National Access Plan 2022-28 is the need for robust data in the area of the widening access and participation to ensure there is a strong evidence base for the work individual Higher Education Institutes do in this area. University of Galway’s third annual Widening Participation Committee report continues to provide this important evidence-base and helps to ensure that our institution is at the forefront in terms of developing widening access and participation initiatives for the most underrepresented in society.”    To coincide with the publication of the Access Centre’s Widening Participation report, a special photo exhibition has been launched of “before and afters”.   It shows accessibility barriers identified through the Crowd4Access Campus Footpath Mapping project, which led by the Insight SFI Research Centre for Data Analytic and the Access Centre, and improvements made by the University’s Buildings and Estates Office to transform the campus for the benefit of all, particularly people with disabilities.   Denis O' Connor, Director of Buildings and Estates at University of Galway, said: "The data from the Crowd4Access project, combined with insights from students who experience accessibility barriers, allowed us to pinpoint exactly what needed to be done to make the campus more accessible. This helps us to meet our targets under the Universal Design and Accessibility Action Plan and progress towards a universally designed campus."    The new Sensory Campus Website showcases indoor and outdoor sensory friendly spaces and facilities and encourages students to use the Sensory and Wellbeing Campus Map. This innovative map was developed in partnership with landscape architects and neurodivergent students, and supports all campus users, particularly the neurodivergent community, to find sensory solace on the beautiful grounds of University of Galway.    The full report is available at www.universityofgalway.ie/accesscentre/publications/.   Ends    

University of Galway spinout, Relevium Medical, has been awarded €4.6 million in Government funding to develop an immediate and long-lasting treatment for knee osteoarthritis. Relevium Medical secured the investment for their RestOAre project to develop therapies for debilitating chronic pain and disease progression of knee osteoarthritis.   Research by University of Galway academics has played a key role in the project, including innovative pain modelling and drug screening, along with scientific analysis of biomolecules derived from marine organisms which target receptors in the knee.   The funding was awarded through the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF), which is managed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and administered by Enterprise Ireland. It will support the development of a treatment that offers patients immediate long-lasting pain relief and reduced progression of knee osteoarthritis.   The disease is incurable, complex and progressively worsens over time impacting the whole joint structure. It is the fastest-growing cause of disability due to an ageing population and the obesity epidemic.   Affecting more people each year than cancer and heart disease, knee osteoarthritis (OA) is routinely described as the world’s largest hidden disability, with 250 million people globally living with knee OA, and the prevalence has doubled in the past 50 years.    The multibillion-euro knee OA market is primed for disruption with the majority of patients relying on damaging oral pain medications.   Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “This Government investment is one of the most significant Disruptive Technologies Innovation Funds awarded to University of Galway, and for one of our spinout companies to secure it, it demonstrates the scale of our ambition and impact as a global leader in research and innovation excellence. “Relevium Medical’s treatment for knee osteoarthritis is ground-breaking and the team has global ambitions to improve the lives of people who live in chronic pain from the disease. The University’s commitment to a high calibre of research-led collaborations with industry will ensure we continue to develop transformative needs-led solutions for society.” Founded in 2019, Relevium Medical is a spinout from the University of Galway BioInnovate Ireland programme and currently employs a team of nine people. The project consortium is led by Relevium Medical in partnership with HookeBio (Ireland), and a research team led by Dr Leo Quinlan from University of Galway’s College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences which developed innovative pain model platforms and a drug screen programme, and Professor Olivier Thomas from University of Galway’s College of Science and Engineering which analysed biomolecules derived from marine organisms that uniquely target the key receptors the team have identified in knee osteoarthritis. Dr Alison Liddy, Chief Executive and co-founder of Relevium Medical, said: “We are thrilled to lead this groundbreaking €4.6 million project in partnership with University of Galway and HookeBio, to advance this innovative solution for knee osteoarthritis. This collaboration represents a significant step forward in addressing a condition that impacts millions worldwide and underscores Relevium Medical’s commitment to building a robust R&D pipeline.” Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, Peter Burke T.D., and Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Patrick O’Donovan T.D., announced the funding of €4.6 million to Relevium Medical, the first project to emerge under Call 7 of the Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund. Professor Martin O'Halloran, Director of BioInnovate Ireland, University of Galway and co-founder of Relevium Medical, said: "BioInnovate is delighted to see this alumni company growing and scaling, with the significant support of Enterprise Ireland and the DTIF programme. We are particularly proud of the fact that Relevium is a female-led company, and we hope Relevium’s achievement will encourage other ambitious women to join the BioInnovate programme."   To date €376 million has been awarded to 105 projects across seven DTIF Calls. Prospective applicants can obtain detailed information on the Fund and on the application process through enterprise.gov.ie/DTIF. Ends