April 2016 NUI Galway Student Awarded Prestigious AIG Legatum Prize

Kyle Moore, an NUI Galway final year Bachelor of Arts student was recently awarded the prestigious American International Group, Inc. (AIG) Legatum Prize. The prize challenges the world’s brightest young minds to generate new ideas to some of the toughest policy questions.

Kyle, from Raish, Co. Mayo, was presented with the £3,000 prize and the 2016 trophy with his innovative proposal for a reciprocal 'caring credits' system within the EU. His idea, which is published in full, along with the other finalists’ entries by the Legatum Institute, proposes that participants would earn credits through caring for the elderly, which they could ‘cash in’ later in life in any EU member state, either to fund their own care or that of family members. He cited an existing Japanese scheme as a good example for Europe to follow.

Now in its fourth year, this prestigious award challenged entrants with devising solutions to the huge demographic challenges of ageing societies to ensure that older people can lead more prosperous lives. The aim of the AIG Legatum Prize is to give younger people across the world a voice, and to bring together the best and brightest young thinkers to address issues of relevance to public policy that are inadequately addressed and understood in existing research.

Dr Edward Herring, Dean of NUI Galway’s College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Celtic Studies, said: “I am delighted to congratulate Kyle Moore on his outstanding achievement. His award-winning proposal demonstrates the very best qualities of an Arts and Social Sciences' education, in that it is creative, entrepreneurial, innovative, and socially responsible. Kyle's achievement brings tremendous lustre to this University and we are very proud of him.”

A distinguished panel of judges, chaired by Jeremy Cliffe, Bagehot columnist at The Economist, questioned the five shortlisted finalists in a Dragons’ Den-style format in front of a packed room of business leaders, academics, think-tankers and students.

Adam Winslow, Chief Executive Officer of AIG Life Limited, said: “Kyle is a worthy winner, but there were many great ideas presented to the judges. We need to engage the brightest minds of all generations to find a solution to the demographic challenge that brings continued prosperity. It was genuinely inspirational to witness the range of different solutions proposed by these young thinkers to the very real problem of ensuring that an ageing society is a prosperous one.”

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