Leagan Gaeilge   Text Version   Display: Zoom (-) (+)   View ( Normal High contrast ) Printer Friendly  A to Z  Sitemap

OllscÉala - march 2012

President's Message - Focal ó Uachtarán (Leagan Gaeilge)

A chairde,

The year has got off to a very encouraging start with NUI Galway having been awarded a 5-star rating from the latest QS Stars rating system. Our University recorded top marks in this new international rating, designed as an alternative to university rankings.

Three Irish universities were rated in the first ever global university rating system and NUI Galway joins UCC in securing the overall 5 star rating. NUI Galway was rated five out of five overall, receiving maximum ratings in areas including research, teaching, internationalisation, facilities, engagement and innovation.

This excellent news acknowledges the developments that have taken place at our University in recent years. The 5 Star rating represents a validation of our performance in teaching, research and other activities, and positions us well alongside other international universities on a global stage. It rewards the vision by the University to prioritise capital development and highlights the strength of our industrial partnerships and commercialisation activity. Our achievement in community and civic engagement is also recognised. In a growing competitive market, I am especially happy about our 5 star rating in internationalisation as this again reaffirms our position within higher education globally.

The first international assessment of its kind, QS Stars has been devised by the research team behind the annual QS World University Rankings. The opt-in scheme assesses an unlimited number of universities in a greater range of areas than any existing international ranking.  Unlike rankings, QS Stars measure universities against preset international standards, drawing on 30 criteria. As well as an overall rating of zero to five stars, universities that take part are rated in up to eight areas including research, teaching, graduate employability, access and innovation.

Designed to cover areas currently beyond the scope of university league tables, experts regard the QS stars as an important new development in the business of higher education. “QS Stars has the potential to revolutionise the way we measure university performance”, says John O’Leary, editor of The Times Good University Guide. “It covers areas that have proved to be beyond the scope of international rankings, such as teaching, employment rates and access, as well as strength in specialist disciplines.”

Honouring President Higgins – ’Fear ón Iarthar tagtha chun cinn’

On 25 January, at a ceremony in Dublin Castle, I had the privilege of giving the introductory citation for the conferring of an honorary degree on the President of Ireland, His Excellency, Michael D. Higgins. It was an honour to mark the historic achievement of ’one our own’. As a graduate, a highly respected lecturer and an adjunct professor of this University, we share an institutional pride in his assuming the office of First Citizen.

Following the conferring, President Higgins addressed the gathering on The Role of the University in a Time of Intellectual Crisis.  The large attendance in St Patrick’s Hall included representatives from Government, the Council of State, the judiciary, the diplomatic corps, in addition to members of the four NUI constituent universities and other Irish universities. Notable amongst the attendance were many former colleagues of President Higgins from NUI Galway, where he lectured in the School of Political Science & Sociology for over thirty years.

It is a longstanding tradition of the National University of Ireland to confer an honorary degree on the President following his or her inauguration. Dr Douglas Hyde received an honorary degree from the Royal University of Ireland in 1906. NUI has honoured all Presidents since 1952 with the exception of Eamon de Valera, who was Chancellor of the University while in office.

The NUI will publish the text of the Introductory Citation and President Higgins’ Speech which can also be found at www.nuigalway.ie/president

Almost a month later, on 24 February, President and Mrs Higgins made their first official visit to the University when President Higgins formally launched the Irish Centre for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Research ( see p.1 cover story).  Marking the occasion, which also co-incided with the 50^th anniversary of his entering the University as a mature student in 1962, I presented the President with a specially commissioned limited edition print of The Quadrangle.

Focal scoir

In recent months we have seen many colleagues retire due to Government changes allowing public service staff to retire on pre-cut salary pensions before end of February 2012. In bidding farewell to many colleagues, I’m conscious that we also say goodbye to valuable knowledge, experience and institutional memory, as well as some wonderful co-workers.  I wish those colleagues who have retired recently every happiness, health and fulfillment in the years ahead and I hope that they will continue to remain vitally connected to the life of this campus community. 

Gabhaim buíochas leo siúd uilig a chuaigh ar scor le déanaí mar chomhaltaí foirne de chuid OÉ Gaillimh, de bharr an tseirbhís dhílis atá tugtha acu don Ollscoil.  Guím saol fada, sona, sásta orthu.

Le gach dea-ghuí

James J. Browne PhD, DSc, MRIA, C.Eng

Uachtarán – President 

Focal ó Uachtarán

A chairde,

Cuireadh tús maith leis an mbliain seo agus rátáil 5 réalta bainte amach ag OÉ Gaillimh ón gcóras rátála Réaltaí QS is déanaí.  Bhain ár n-ollscoil amach barrmharcanna sa rátáil idirnáisiúnta nua seo, atá mar mhalairt ar ranguithe ollscoile.

Fuair trí ollscoil Éireannacha rátáil sa chéad chóras rátála ollscoile domhanda agus bhain OÉ Gaillimh agus UCC rátáil foriomlán 5 réalta amach. Bhain OÉ Gaillimh rátáil cúig as cúig amach ar an iomlán, agus an t-uasrátáil bainte amach i réimsí lena n-áirítear taighde, teagasc, idirnáisiúnú, áiseanna, rannpháirteachas agus nuálaíocht.

Tugann an nuacht iontach seo aitheantas do na forbairtí atá curtha i gcrích san Ollscoil le blianta beaga anuas. Tugann an rátáil 5 Réalta bailíocht dár bhfeidhmíocht sa teagasc agus sa taighde agus i ngníomhaíochtaí eile, agus cuireann sé i staid mhaith muid in aice le hollscoileanna idirnáisiúnta eile ar ardán domhanda. Tugann sé aitheantas d’fhís na hOllscoile tús áite a thabhairt d’fhorbairt chaipitil agus tarraingíonn sé aird ar láidreacht ár gcomhpháirtíochtaí tionscail agus ár ngníomhaíocht tráchtálaíochta. Chomh maith leis sin aithnítear an méid atá bainte amach againn maidir le rannpháirteachas pobail agus poiblí. I margadh iomaíoch atá ag fás, tá mé thar a bheith sásta leis an rátáil 5 réalta a bhaineamar amach san idirnáisiúnú mar go gcuireann sé seo leis an suíomh atá againn san ardoideachas ar fud an domhain.

Tá Réalta QS ar an gcéad mheasúnú idirnáisiúnta dá leithéid, agus is í an fhoireann taighde atá taobh thiar de Ranguithe Ollscoileanna Bliantúla an Domhain QS a dhear iad. Déanann an scéim roghnach measúnú ar líon neamhtheoranta ollscoileanna i raon níos leithne réimsí ná aon rangú idirnáisiúnta atá ar an bhfód.  Neamhchosúil le rangú, tomhaiseann Réalta QS ollscoileanna in aghaidh caighdeáin réamhshocraithe idirnáisiúnta, ag tarraingt ar 30 critéar. Chomh maith le rátáil foriomlán idir náid agus cúig, déantar rátáil ar na hollscoileanna a ghlacann páirt in ocht réimse lena n-áirítear taighde, teagasc, infhostaitheacht céimithe, rochtain agus nuálaíocht.

Tá réalta QS deartha chun freastal ar réimsí nach bhfuil táblaí sraithe ollscoile in ann a láimhseáil, agus tá saineolaithe den tuairim gur forbairt nua thábhachtach iad san ardoideachas. “Tá an poitéinseal ag Réaltaí QS atheagar iomlán a chur ar an gcaoi a ndéanaimid feidhmíocht ollscoile a thomhas”, a deir John O’Leary, eagarthóir The Times Good University Guide. “Clúdaíonn sé réimsí nach bhfuil rangú idirnáisiúnta in ann dul i ngleic leo, mar atá teagasc, rátaí fostaíochta agus rochtain chomh maith le láidreachtaí i ndisciplíní speisialta.”

Aitheantas don Uachtarán Ó hUiginn – ’Fear ón Iarthar tagtha chun cinn’  

Ag searmanas i gCaisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath ar an 25 Eanáir, bhí d’onóir agam an t-aitheasc tosaigh a thabhairt nuair a bronnadh céim oinigh ar Uachtarán na hÉireann, a Shoilse, Mícheál D. Ó hUiginn. Ba mhór an onóir dom éacht stairiúil duine dár ndream féin a cheiliúradh. Mar chéimí, mar léachtóir a raibh ardmheas air agus mar ollamh cúnta san Ollscoil seo, tá bród institiúideach againn ar fad as agus é in oifig mar an Chéad Saoránach.

I ndiaidh an tsearmanais, labhair an tUachtarán Ó hUiginn leis an slua faoi Ról na hOllscoile le linn Géarchéim Intleachtúil.  I measc an tslua mhóir a bhí i láthair i Halla Naomh Pádraig bhí ionadaithe ón Rialtas, Comhairle an Stáit, an bhreithiúnacht, an cór taidhleoireachta, chomh maith le comhaltaí ó cheithre chomh-ollscoil an OÉ agus comhaltaí ó ollscoileanna Éireannacha eile. I measc na ndaoine iomráiteacha eile a bhí i láthair, bhí iar-chomhghleacaithe an Uachtaráin Uí Uiginn ó OÉ Gaillimh, áit a raibh sé ina léachtóir i Roinn na hEolaíochta Polaitiúla & na Socheolaíochta ar feadh breis agus tríocha bliain.

Is traidisiún fada é go mbronnann Ollscoil na hÉireann céim oinigh ar an Uachtarán i ndiaidh a (h)insealbhaithe. Bhronn Ollscoil Ríoga na hÉireann céim oinigh ar an Dr Dubhghlas de hÍde sa bhliain 1906. Bhronn an OÉ céimeanna oinigh ar gach Uachtarán ó 1952 i leith seachas an Dr Éamon de Valera, a bhí mar Sheansailéir ar an Ollscoil agus é in oifig.

Foilseoidh an OÉ téacs an Aithisc Tosaigh agus Óráid an Uachtaráin Uí Uiginn agus beidh teacht orthu freisin ag http://www.nuigalway.ie/president

Beagnach mí ina dhiaidh sin, ar an 24 Feabhra, tháinig an tUachtarán Ó hUiginn agus a bhean ar a gcéad chuairt oifigiúil chun na hOllscoile nuair a sheol an tUachtarán Ó hUiginn an tIonad Éireannach um Thaighde ar Uathachas agus ar Néar-Fhorbraíocht (féach lch 1).  Chun an ócáid a cheiliúradh, agus chun ceiliúradh a dhéanamh freisin ar 50 bliain ó tháinig an tUachtarán go dtí an ollscoil mar mhac léinn lánfhásta sa bhliain 1962, bhronn mé cló teoranta den Chearnóg, a coimisiúnadh go speisialta, ar an Uachtarán.

Focal scoir

Le roinnt míonna anuas tá roinnt mhaith comhghleacaithe linn tar éis dul ar scor mar gheall ar na hathruithe a rinne an Rialtas a lig d’fhoireann na seirbhíse poiblí dul ar scor roimh dheireadh mhí Feabhra 2012 agus pinsean acu a bhain lena dtuarastal sular gearradh é. Agus muid ag rá slán leis an oiread sin daoine, táim san airdeall gur fhágamar slán freisin le heolas, taithí agus cuimhne institiúideach luachmhar, chomh maith le comhoibrithe den scoth.  Guím gach rath agus sláinte sna blianta amach romhainn ar na comhghleacaithe sin atá imithe ar scor agus tá súil agam go gcoinneoidh siad i dteagmháil linn. 

Gabhaim buíochas leo siúd uile a chuaigh ar scor le déanaí mar chomhaltaí foirne de chuid OÉ Gaillimh, de bharr na seirbhíse dílse atá tugtha acu don Ollscoil.  Guím saol fada, sona, sásta orthu.  

Le gach dea-ghuí

James J. Browne PhD, DSc, MRIA, C.Eng

Uachtarán – President

 

• Disclaimer
• Privacy
• Copyright
• Accessibility