In the News..

A new initiative aimed at equipping children with coding and AI skills has been launched at Trinity Primary School in Tuam, Co. Galway. This pilot initiative seeks to prepare students, in DEIS schools particularly, to engage with and shape an increasingly computing and AI-powered world, while addressing a significant gap in Ireland's computing education system. The pilot study, led by the School of Education at University of Galway and proudly supported by Google.org, will engage 80 schools and up to 2,000 primary pupils over the next two years. Despite being enthusiastic, many teachers are not equipped with the resources, time or depth of knowledge needed to teach coding and AI effectively. This new project aims to tackle this issue by offering upskilling opportunities to teachers in primary schools, with workshops demonstrating how to integrate computing and AI with other subjects in the curriculum, enhancing lessons with AI and understanding AI concepts. For example, the pupils will then learn how to code robots to draw patterns and shapes and use AI to write music and songs.               Professor Cornelia Connolly of the School of Education at University of Galway said: "To grow our digital economy, Ireland needs an advanced workforce ready to take advantage of the opportunities digital transformation brings. Supporting our teachers and embedding these competencies within formal education is the way to do that. Current and future generations need to be able to navigate misinformation and other AI related challenges, and they also need to be able to take the opportunities which will be provided to those who can become skilful developers and operators of AI. This pilot is part of a nationwide computing education project with Trinity College Dublin and University of Limerick.” This pilot project will initially focus on DEIS and rural schools in the West of Ireland, with plans to expand nationwide as the project scales. Ends

A national campaign has been launched to equip people with the skills and confidence to respond appropriately if a friend discloses sexual violence or harassment. The “Start Here” campaign is being led by University of Galway’s Active* Consent, Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ - formerly Union of Students in Ireland), Galway Rape Crisis Centre, and Education and Training Boards Ireland.   Resources include physical and electronic versions of tips on disclosure, a series of short videos that work through the tips, and open access to Active* Consent’s 45-minute eLearning module Sexual Violence and Harassment: How to Support Yourself and your Peers.    Originally developed in 2021 as a response to the Active* Consent and AMLÉ national Sexual Experiences Survey 2020, the initiative addresses the findings that 79% of college students who disclosed sexual misconduct first spoke to a close friend.   In 2022, the Higher Education Authority’s Survey of Student Experiences of Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish Higher Education found that this figure was 85%, highlighting the vital role that peers have to support survivors.    Over the next six weeks, Start Here will offer:  Basic dos and don’ts of receiving a disclosure  Key information on support services and how to access them nationally  Current research statistics on college students’ experiences of sexual violence and harassment  Open access to Active* Consent’s self-guided 45-minute eLearning module Sexual Violence and Harassment: How to Support Yourself and your Peers   Ongoing interactive content diving deeper into all of this information in detail through quizzes, videos and other forms of direct engagement                Professor Pádraig MacNeela, Head of the School of Psychology at University of Galway and Active* Consent Programme Lead, said: “Active* Consent are delighted to be partnering with AMLÉ, Galway Rape Crisis Centre and our new partner Education and Training Boards Ireland for the 2025 Start Here campaign. When the Start Here campaign first launched in 2021, we knew from research that 79% of students would disclose a non-consensual sexual experience to a close friend. In more recent research from the HEA reported in 2022, this has risen to 85%. This shows the importance of people having access to ways of managing disclosures in a trauma-informed manner with some simple dos and don’ts, with the main objective to be confident in signposting to relevant services.”               Cathy Connolly, Executive Director, Galway Rape Crisis Centre said: “The Galway Rape Crisis Centre has been an integral part of the Start Here campaign since its inception in 2021. We are proud of the collaboration between Active* Consent, AMLÉ and now Education and Training Boards Ireland for this campaign. A strong motivator for us to be involved is that frontline and counselling experience is important in keeping the training Galway Rape Crisis Centre provides current and relevant, as it reflects the changing experiences of survivors of abuse and rape. The collaboration with the Active* Consent team, AMLÉ and Education and Training Boards Ireland has deepened as we continue to together work to improve disclosure response and outcomes for these survivors.”  Emma Monahan, Vice President for Welfare AMLÉ, said: “Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) is proud to partner with Active* Consent on the Start Here campaign. The campaign first launched in 2021 in response to a study run by our organisation in 2020 which revealed that 79% of college students who experienced sexual misconduct first disclosed it to a friend. We hope that this campaign can continue to give young people the skills to listen, empathise and support their friends who have experiences sexual misconduct. This campaign has the potential to make a significant impact on creating a supportive environment for survivors of sexual violence, assault and harassment. Active* Consent has been an amazing resource both to students' unions and young people over the years and we are delighted to maintain our partnership and to continue working closely together."   Joseph Collins, Direct of Further Education and Training with Education and Training Boards Ireland, said: “Key to Active* Consent’s mission is doing the research and then creating tools and experiences that build knowledge and engagement for students and staff regarding consent, sexual violence, and harassment. Start Here meets this aim by taking an intimidating topic for many and translating it into concrete steps that both staff and learners can make use of in the real world. Education and Training Boards Ireland is honoured to support such an impactful campaign.”   Sinéad Morgan, Director, Further Education and Training with Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB), said: “The main objective of this campaign is to provide learners with practical knowledge and understanding of how to support someone who discloses to them. This campaign has the potential to make a significant impact on creating a supportive environment for survivors of sexual violence, assault, and harassment.”  Active* Consent is funded by Lifes2Good Foundation, Rethink Ireland, University of Galway, Government of Ireland and the Higher Education Authority.  To track the campaign on social media, follow Active* Consent on: Facebook; Instagram; TikTok, and Bluesky: @activeconsent and use the hashtags: #StartHere #ActiveConsent #ImListening #WhatWouldYouSay.   To view the Start Here el-earning module see: https://www.consenthub.ie/wp-content/uploads/eLearning-Module-Sexual-Violence-and-Harassment-How-to-Support-Yourself-and-Your-Peers/ and to access the campaign website visit: https://www.consenthub.ie/start-here/ For more information about the Start Here campaign or to get in touch with Active* Consent, email activeconsent@universityofgalway.ie. Ends 

Study shows what really makes someone a superhero is selflessly working for the greater good - whether you’re Superman or a frontline healthcare worker Researchers have finally answered one of pop culture’s most enduring questions: do all superheroes wear capes? The answer, according to the team from University of Galway, University of Florida, and University of Arkansas, is a resounding no.  In a study of the top 25 highest-grossing superhero movies, the research team meticulously reviewed 97 major characters that included Superman, Wonder Woman, Spider-Man, the Avengers, Iron Man 3, Marvel and Aquaman.  It found that the characters capes do not make them a superhero. What transforms them into one is a good heart. The single strongest predictor of superhero status was having an altruistic mission, where nearly every superhero (98%) demonstrated a commitment to helping others.  The study has been published in the Irish Journal of Medical Science.  The authors, superhero film enthusiasts, carried out their analysis after hours, outside of their day jobs, independently watching all 25 movies over two months.  The team had a preselected list of possible superhero attributes, including whether the hero is human or alien, their intelligence, whether they have an alter ego (think Clark Kent) and, of course, altruism and a cape. They also examined villains, who sometimes enjoy capes, but are absent from altruism.  Dr Derek O’Keeffe, senior author of the study and Professor in Medicine at University of Galway, said: “Capes may look dramatic, but it’s altruism that truly defines a superhero. Our analysis shows that what really makes someone a hero is selflessly working for the greater good - whether you’re Superman or a frontline healthcare worker.”  The study’s light-hearted design had serious undertones. During the COVID-19 pandemic, doctors, nurses, teachers, and first responders were frequently described as “superheroes without capes”. This research offers empirical support that cultural sentiment: altruism, not superpowers or costumes, is the hallmark of heroism.  The researchers also cautioned that while the superhero narrative can be inspiring, it can also place unrealistic expectations on real-life professionals and contribute to burnout.  Dr Naykky Singh Ospina, lead author and Associate Professor in the College of Medicine, University of Florida, said: “Meaningful work gives people purpose, but even heroes need rest. Our findings highlight both the uplifting and the challenging sides of the ‘healthcare hero’ label.”  Lest anyone thinks this scientific study is no more authentic than Captain America’s “vibranium” shield, the analysis is very real, right down to its citations, design and statistical analysis. The researchers’ purpose is to use it to teach medical trainees and others how studies are built, but in a translatable and accessible way.  Using a scientific approach and rigorous methodology, the team set research protocols, decided what traits to look for in superheroes, calculated sample size and did all the things scientists do to examine and test a question.  So, the next time you see a cape fluttering on the big screen, remember: true heroism is less about the outfit - and more about the mission.  Read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-025-04080-6 and here: file:///C:/Users/0116056s/Downloads/s11845-025-04080-6%20(2).pdf  Ends