Nuacht agus Imeachtaí

Registration has opened for University of Galway’s annual spring undergraduate open day, which will provide an opportunity for thousands of students and their parents or guardians to visit the historic, riverside campus in the heart of Galway city.    The University’s spring open day will take place on campus on Saturday March 25 from 9am to 3pm. It is open to all senior cycle students, including those doing transition year. Visitors will meet current University of Galway students and hear from world leading professors and lecturers about the cutting-edge courses on offer and the innovative research that puts it among the top 2% of universities on the global stage.  Sarah Geraghty, Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach, said: “University of Galway open day offers prospective students and parents an opportunity to explore courses, subjects, careers and student life at the University and a great chance to meet and talk to our professors, lecturers and current students.”  The event is spread across five exhibitions and the schedule includes the largest ever programme of talks with more than 100 talks featuring all courses and subjects, as well as career and student support. Some highlights includes Student Life, Sport, Study Abroad, Careers and ALIVE volunteering. The Access Centre will host a session on alternative pathways, mature student supports and the QQI/FETAC/PLC entry route.  Parents may be interested in the Parents’ Talk taking place on at 11:30am with advice and guidance on how parents can support the progression to third level.   Sarah Geraghty, Director of Student Recruitment and Outreach, highlighted the importance of providing students with opportunities to explore the campus and think about their future studies: “We look forward to welcoming students to the campus where they can expect a true university experience with research-led teaching, a focus on employability skills, placements, study abroad and a support ecosystem that prepares individuals to reach their potential. The open day will give senior cycle students a taste of college life and hopefully a sense of great possibility for their future university studies.”   The University offers more than 60 internationally recognised undergraduate degrees coverings areas such as Medicine, Nursing, Health Sciences, Arts, Science, Engineering, Business, Law and Hotel Management.  More than 90% of courses offer students a work placement and/or study abroad opportunity ensuring graduates are work place ready, and sought after by employers at home and abroad.  Students choosing to study at University of Galway can be confident that their hard work and qualifications will be recognised worldwide.  Ranked in the top 2% of universities globally, many of the courses provided by University of Galway hold internationally recognised accreditation. As a graduate of the university, students will be joining a strong and dynamic global community of over 110,000 alumni.  Advance registration is required, with further information and the full programme available at https://www.universityofgalway.ie/opendays/, or by emailing opendays@universityofgalway.ie.  Ends

University of Galway are celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge 2023 with a number of events taking place on campus in the run-in to St Patrick’s Day. One of the main highlights taking place during Seachtain na Gaeilge is the Gradaim Aitheantais Gaeilge do scoláirí an Teastais Shóisearaigh which takes place on Monday March 13 at 5pm. The achievements of students who have achieved a 'pass with honours' in the Junior Certificate high level examinations will be celebrated at this special event. Seachtain na Gaeilge 2023 is an integral part of the University’s calendar of events and this year’s events are the first to take place on campus since the pandemic. It is also the first since the launch of the University’s inaugural Irish Language Strategy 2021-25 - a strategy which sets out an ambitious vision to bring the bilingual campus to life and to set out a way to achieve a fully bilingual culture, through operational policies, governance structures and support for Irish language communities. Highlights from the Seachtain na Gaeilge programme events include: -      Tae agus Plé: Dé Máirt 7 Márta ag 11am. Má tá spéis agat bualadh le Gaeilgeoirí eile bí linn i Seomra na Coiribe i Sult, áit a mbeidh neart tae agus plé agus craic agus comhluadar. -      Ciorcal Amhránaíochta le TradSoc: Dé Máirt 7 Márta ag 1pm i Caifé na Gaeilge, Áras na Gaeilge -      Ceardlann Gairmeacha le Conradh na Gaeilge: Déardaoin 9 Márta at 6pm -      Cartlann Chonradh na Gaeilge: Dé Céadaoin 15 Márta. Ócáid phoiblí, ina bpléifear tionscnamh nua taighde 'CARTLANN, Gníomhachas, teanga agus na meáin', agus gnéithe eile. Craoladh beo, le hagallamh leis an aisteoir, file agus taighdeoir, an Dr Colm Mac Gearailt. -      Oíche Chultúir Ghaelach: Dé Céadaoin 15 Márta ag 7.30pm i Áras na Gaeilge. University of Galway President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said: “The Irish language is a value and valuable for us all and we are fully supportive of our staff, students and community in living their working lives through Irish, and in promoting and strengthening the Irish language. The Irish language is a central and deep part of our identity and our lives and we will continue to work in ensuring that the Irish language, which is increasingly engaging the next generation, goes from strength to strength.” University of Galway Irish Language Officer, Caroline Ní Fhlatharta, said: “Everyone is welcome to attend each of the events which have been carefully planned to suit the entire University community – fluent speakers, learners, and even those with very little Irish, but who are interested in the language.”  The full list of events celebrating Seachtain na Gaeilge at University of Galway is available to https://www.universityofgalway.ie/snag23/ or https://su.nuigalway.ie/seachtain-na-gaeilge-4/. Ends

University of Galway has appointed its second ever full-time Traveller Education Officer to lead on the recruitment of and support students from the Irish Traveller community. Anne Marie Stokes, a Traveller and alumnus of the University, succeeds Owen Ward in the role and will manage the Mincéirs Misl'd in Education - Empowering Irish Travellers project to transition and build a sense of belonging in Higher Education. The project is funded by the Higher Education Authority's Programme for Access to Higher Education (PATH 3) fund, and the role will be shared across University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University Galway-Mayo. As Traveller Education Officer, Anne Marie Stokes will work in partnership with various stakeholders, including Irish Traveller organisations and the Irish Traveller community, and build on critical government policies and strategies to provide a detailed, evidence-based understanding of barriers to access, progression and retention in higher education for Irish Travellers. Anne Marie Stokes, Traveller Education Officer, said: “I am proud to take up my new role with the Access Centre at University of Galway as I have seen the University’s commitment to increasing the number of Travellers reaching higher education. I am very passionate about education, and I have a Bachelor of Arts and a Master’s degree from University of Galway, and I look forward to supporting the further development of outreach, recruitment and support strategies to not only enable Traveller students to access university but to succeed once they do.” Having previously worked with the Galway Traveller Movement, Anne Marie Stokes has also delivered cultural awareness training and anti-racism training to numerous service providers and industries. She now joins a multi-disciplinary team of professionals supporting students that are under-represented in higher education from the pre-entry stage of the student journey and throughout their time in University of Galway and Atlantic Technological University Galway-Mayo.  Imelda Byrne, Head of the Access Centre at University of Galway, said: “The need for further engagement with the Irish Traveller Community has been identified through both practice and policy. A lot of progress has been made in recent years, but Irish Travellers are still heavily under-represented in higher education. We are delighted with Anne Marie’s appointment to continue and build on the work that has been done to date and look forward to new collaborations.”  Ends