May Minister Lawless launches University of Galway Strategic Plan 2025-2030

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless T.D. has launched University of Galway’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030.

The document, entitled Of Galway, For the World, sets out the priorities for the University’s development over the course of the next five years, with a renewed focus on being a research-intensive globally connected higher education institution.

During the lifetime of the Strategic Plan, the University will invest in new systems and spaces to better support teaching and research excellence. Among those are the construction of the new Library and Learning Commons in the centre of the campus and the development of a new Student Success Centre that will engage students in new ways of learning and support their progression, success, health and wellbeing throughout their university journey. 

Further initiatives will be undertaken including a Future Talent Programme that will invest to attract new talent in research, teaching and professional services to Galway, develop current staff, and grow a PhD cohort through targeted programmes. Other initiatives include the new Research Process Improvement Project - a multi-faceted programme that improves the research journey and experience to maximise impact, and an ambitious Technology-Enablement Programme - a significant investment in Information and communication technology (ICT) operating models and the successful delivery of digital infrastructure projects, which will be critical to the University's success in the coming years.

The Strategic Plan was launched at a special event on campus with Minister Lawless where innovative and impactful research was showcased.

Minister Lawless, said: “The launch of University of Galway's Strategic Plan 2025-2030 Of Galway, For the World is truly an exciting time. There are many new developments and the sense of ambition and innovation on campus is tangible.

“University of Galway has a proven track record of embedding creativity and excellence in providing a diverse range of programmes and putting the student experience at the centre of teaching and learning. The new Strategic Plan is the next step on that journey."

Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile, Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said: “I would like to sincerely thank our university community and partners and all of those who engaged with us during the consultation process to develop the University’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030. We are excited to share the outcome of this work and look forward to the next chapter of the University’s strategic journey.”

Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, said: “This is a very exciting time for our university as we celebrate 180 years of university scholarship, research and education in Galway at a time of profound change in the world.

“With so much uncertainty and complexity in global matters, yet so many new and innovative ideas and new technologies, there is a wealth of opportunities and challenges for us to grasp. Our Strategic Plan 2025-30 Of Galway, For the World captures that ambition and will enable our University community to have significant impact in helping to address the needs of society, building on our long and proud history of achievement.”

The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 will focus on the University’s core mission to nurture talent and generate knowledge for the world. This mission will be guided by the University’s existing values of Excellence, Respect, Openness, Sustainability, and Belonging - a new value which students asked for.

The document sets out areas of strategic priorities: Distinctive Research Impact; Education for the Future; and Effective and Sustainable Organisation that Empowers our People.

The Strategic Plan identifies four research pillars in which University of Galway will make a distinctive impact in the years ahead: Innovation for Health; Creativity, Culture & Society; Sustainable & Resilient Environments: Earth & Ocean; and Decisive Data & Transformative AI.

The title of the Strategic Plan, Of Galway, For the World, was inspired by the distinctiveness of the University and its city and region, as well as the global impact the university community makes from this unique place.

Read the full Strategic Plan 2025-2030 here: www.universityofgalway.ie/strategy2030

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