University Statements

Previous University Statements 

LGBT+ Statement of Support | Ráiteas Tacaíochta LGBT+: 22/04/22

At the start of this Semester we reminded both staff and students of NUI Galway’s commitment to respect for all people in our community, classroom and the wider society. We emphasised the importance of respectful dialogue and behaviour in all our interactions, being mindful of valuing the diversity of our staff and student body.

In the past week, we have witnessed shocking and tragic homophobic violence which has seriously impacted the LGBT+ community and allies across the country. These events are a reminder to us all that despite having a more inclusive legislative infrastructure which recognises the rights of LGBT+ people, there are still extreme challenges which prevail. NUI Galway wholeheartedly condemns these actions and the subsequent targeting of minority ethnic communities which has occurred since then. 

We are also very aware that many of our university community have been particularly impacted by this devastating violence in different ways. We will continue to strive for the rights, dignity and respect of all LGBT+ people within our university and wider community.  It is important that we celebrate our vibrant LGBT+ community on campus, in particular the work of BródSoc and the LGBT+ staff network.

At NUI Galway we have in place a number of supports for both students and staff as outlined below: 

For Students 

The Student Support and Wellbeing team have gathered some information on the supports available to students of NUI Galway.  If you feel any of these supports are relevant to you, or a fellow student, please get in touch with the particular service.  Also note: Text 'NUIG' to 50808: Free 24/7 text service available to students: 

 

For Staff 

The Employee Assistance Service (EAS) is available to you and members of your household over the age of 18 for assistance and support. The Freephone number for the EAS is 1800 814 243.   You can register here.

Further information is also available at on the website Employee Assistance Service - NUI Galway The service is provided independently from the University and is completely confidential. This confidential service is accessible 24/7 365 days and is provided completely free of charge and may be of benefit to you at this time.  

For those who would like to seek support directly from LGBT+ community organisations, there are a number of options that AMACH LGBT Galway have listed here

Speak Out– Students and Staff 

We also want to remind all students and staff of the Speak Out tool. This is an online and anonymous reporting platform for you or anyone you know that has experienced any form of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, discrimination, hate crime, coercive behaviour/control, stalking, assault, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and rape. Available at https://NUIG.speakout.ie/

A comprehensive list of internal and external supports can be found on the Speak Out page by clicking here: https://NUIG.speakout.ie/all-supports  

Kind regards,

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh

President NUI Galway

Róisín Nic Lochlainn

President NUI Galway Students’ Union 

Update on Ukraine Response | An tEolas is Déanaí maidir leis an Úcráin - 20/04/2022

Like so many others, our university community has watched in horror as the Russian invasion has brought senseless violence and aggression to Ukraine and we all feel a strong urge to find ways to show our support for the people of the region. As the events have unfolded, countless lives in Ukraine are being torn apart with indiscriminate killings, displacement, trauma, and separation from loved ones. 

If you have an offer of support for students, scholars, or academic staff coming from Ukraine please get in touch with ukrainesupport@nuigalway.ie, where we are collating this information.  You can also visit our dedicated Ukraine webpage which is being updated on a regular basis.

As a University of Sanctuary, NUI Galway welcomes the establishment of the National Steering Committee for Education to help Ukrainian scholars, students and researchers who have fled to Ireland, as announced yesterday by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris T.D.

In line with our commitment to accessibility, inclusivity and engaging openly with the world as laid out in the NUI Galway Strategy, our new Ukrainian UMT sub-group have agreed on a number of measures to help scholars and students fleeing from the conflict.

Minister Harris has confirmed that a National Student & Researcher Helpdesk is being established by the Department FHERIS on behalf of the higher education sector. We are pleased to work with Maynooth University which will host the centralised helpdesk and one-stop-shop  for all incoming refugees, students and researchers.

The helpdesk will offer the following supports:

• Provide initial advice on nature of documents required for transfer
• Initial check on adequacy of documents
• Refer students and researchers as appropriate to the most appropriate higher education institution;
• Provide consistency of approach across HEIs
• Follow up with students and researchers as needed. 

The helpdesk will take a few weeks to get up and running. In the meantime, we have three online forms available on our website for those Ukrainian scholars, students and researchers who want to register interest in NUI Galway. We will then be able to guide and support them through the next steps once the help desk is opened. 

It is important to acknowledge that the Ukrainian exodus is unprecedented in recent European history and that the Ukrainian sub-group has been convened as quickly as possible to react to this situation, to provide practical support where necessary. We are continuing to liaise with the Department directly and through the Irish Universities Association.  

Many of us are keen to help financially and we are in the process of organising a fundraising event in the University and will keep you informed as soon we have more information. In the meantime, please consider contributing to any of the charities directly below: 

• Concern Worldwide 
• Unicef 
• Red Cross (Ireland) 
• Red Cross (Ukraine)
  

A quick reminder that The Whitaker Institute & the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway is honoured to host an online event on Reconstructing the Economy of Ukraine at 6.00 p.m. on Tuesday, 26 April.  To register for the event please click here.

Kind regards,

Professor Becky Whay

Vice President International, NUI Galway

Support for Ukraine | Tacaíocht don Úcráin - 30/03/2022

In concert with universities across Europe we have already articulated our condemnation of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia. We are fully aligned with the European Union sanctions on Russia and Belarus and with the interpretation of those sanctions by the Irish Government. 

In these circumstances no academic or research collaboration of any sort with Russian universities and research institutions is possible. This includes all elements of research roles including co-authorship, reviewing, membership of editorial and other boards, the provision of references. All existing collaborative research projects have been halted and no further projects will be undertaken  

We recognise that many people in Russia and Belarus are under immense pressure to align with the position of their respective governments and may not be doing so through choice.  However, until the invasion has ended and peace is restored, researchers and scholars in Russia and Belarus are now isolated and cannot participate in the international research community. While we can no longer work with entities or individuals in Russia and Belarus we remain enthusiastically committed to research collaboration across all other boundaries, regardless of nationality.

We fully appreciate that imposing these restrictions will have an impact on individual staff and students within NUI Galway, however, we see no other options in these circumstance

You may have questions about particular issues that arise. If so can you please send the query to ukrainesupport@nuigalway.ie and we will answer within two working days.

Further information and updates are available at https://www.nuigalway.ie/ukraine/

 

Support for Ukraine | Tacaíocht don Úcráin - 24/03/2022

Dear colleagues and students,

As you may know, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s has made an impassioned plea for citizens worldwide to show support for his country one month on from Russia’s violent invasion. 

In his address President Zelensky asks that we all come from our offices, our homes, our schools and our universities to demonstrate that “Freedom matters.  Peace matters.  Ukraine matters.”  

As you know the Quadrangle is currently being lit in the colours of the Ukrainian flag and we are proposing a demonstration of solidarity with the Ukrainian people there today 24 March at 4.45 p.m.  If you wish to show your solidarity, I invite you to come with a token of peace or the Ukrainian colours. 

Kind regards, 

Becky Whay 

Vice President International, NUI Galway 

Statement of Support for Ukrainian Students | Ráiteas Tacaíochta do Mhic Léinn ón Úcráin - 14/03/2022

Dear colleagues,

As you know, we at NUI Galway have expressed our outrage at the Russian invasion of Ukraine and for us, this violence is as abhorrent, as it is confusing and frightening. Although we cannot conceive of what the Ukrainian people are facing all of the University community are determined to do what we can to help.

In light of this, NUI Galway have convened a team dedicated to supporting Ukrainian students and scholars in these extremely challenging times, and following their first meeting on Friday it was decided to implement the following measures:

·           To the greatest extent possible, we will support and accommodate Ukrainians in third level education who find themselves in a position where they have to flee their country.

·           Students will be facilitated to continue, or to commence their studies at NUI Galway.

·           Ukrainian students will be treated as Irish Students in terms of their eligibility for grants and fees and we will be looking at how we can best offer scholarships to support these students.

·           The International Student Hardship Fund will be available to our current and future students as needed.

·           Pastoral care and counselling supports will be offered as an essential part of our response.

·           Research engagements and collaboration with Russia and Belarus will be cancelled, consistent with all EU sanctions in this regard.

NUI Galway is a university for the public good and we are determined to support Ukrainian students and scholars with the greatest level of flexibility and sensitivity. We are in the process of creating a webpage with more information on this and will keep you updated with any new initiatives as soon as we can.

In the meantime, for those who want to register and offer accommodation to Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Ireland, you can do so here.

This is an extremely distressing time for all of us and I encourage the university community to support one another, as we look to the future with hope for peace.

Kind regards,

Ciarán

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President NUI Galway

Statement of Support for Ukraine | Ráiteas Tacaíochta don Úcráin - 01/03/2022 

As a University community, we are deeply shocked and outraged by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and condemn this unprovoked violence in the strongest possible terms. These actions are an assault on democracy and on the values of freedom, autonomy and respect that we all hold dear. We will continue to work with our colleagues here in Ireland and across Eastern Europe to offer our support to those affected.

As some of you may have noticed, the Quadrangle is being lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with its people. We will continue to do this until hostilities cease. In the coming days and weeks, we will do whatever we can to support those affected and can only wish for the best in these very dark times.

NUI Galway is currently providing support to members of the University community who may be impacted by the crisis. We are mindful of the financial hardship caused by this crisis, particularly to international students and the International Student Hardship fund will be available to support them where needed. Please find information on International Student support here and staff wellbeing here.

We welcome the Irish government’s decision on the immediate lifting of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens and in addition to this, we will open up our University of Sanctuary scholarships for Ukrainian refugees.

The Ukrainian poet, Iya Kiva writes in one of her Three Poems in 2014:

to hold a needle of silence in your mouth
to stitch your words in white thread
to whimper while drowning in spit
to keep from screaming spitting blood
to hold the water of a language on your tongue
which leaks like a rusty bucket
to mend things that are still useful
to sew crosses on the really weak spots
like bandages on the wounded in a hospital
to learn to search for the roots of a life
that has yet to learn its name.

We recognise that this is a frightening and uncertain time for all of us and I would ask, that as you always do, you continue to look out for each other and offer kindness to everyone, to mend things that are still useful, to learn to search for the roots of a life.

Ciarán

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh

President NUI Galway

Statement of Respect | Ráiteas Ómóis - 20/01/2022

Dear staff and students,

We hope you are staying safe and well at the start of this new Semester.

As we look forward to the future at the beginning of this new year, as President of NUI Galway and of its Students’ Union, we together here express our ongoing commitment to the core values of our University, particularly in relation to the importance of respect for all in our community, in the classroom and beyond.

While we recognise that informed debate and freedom of expression is necessary to a vibrant and healthy university setting, we must always treat each other with consideration and respect, whether in person, in virtual environments, over email, or on social media. Disrespectful comments towards any members or groups in the communities we serve have no place in our university.

As a thriving university we value all experiences, traditions, gender identities and ethnicities and we know that a civil and considerate environment is integral to the health and wellbeing of our students and staff.  We ask all members of our university to recommit to treating each other well, with kindness, consideration and respect, both on and off campus.

Kind regards,  

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh 

President NUI Galway

 

Róisín Nic Lochlainn 

President NUI Galway SU