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OllscÉala - DECEMBER 2011

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

A chairde,

Agus 2011 ag teacht chun críche, ba mhaith liom súil a chaitheamh siar ar bhliain a bhí dúshlánach ar chéad bhealach. I have been heartened this year by the efforts of academic and support staff to meet the challenges which the current economic difficulties continue to present. I want colleagues to know that your flexibility and support in responding to the challenges which faces us as a university and as a sector are very much appreciated.

Some successes of 2011

Despite these challenges we have enjoyed many successes this year. Some of these highlights are detailed below:

Research: We continue to do well in research terms. This year has seen the establishment of new research centres in Prostate Cancer, Lifecourse issues and Autism and Neuro-Developmental Research. We have added considerably to our research assets with the Library's acquisition of important archival collections including those of Thomas Kilroy, John Huston and Brendan Duddy. Having conferred almost 200 doctoral degrees this year, we are well-placed to reach the five-year target we set ourselves in the Strategic Plan for 2014. Our challenge is now to maintain our PhD output. Initiatives such as the Hardiman Research Scholarships programme, launched this year, highlight our commitment to sustain doctoral numbers.

Teaching: Last month I was invited to give the keynote address at an international conference of German universities on the social mission of universities. I was impressed by the international regard shown by colleagues from Europe, the US and beyond, for our work in this field. Colleagues from all areas of the University have built this solid reputation for Service Learning and Volunteering. It was clear to me that we are leaders in this area. This CELT-led programme, along with CELT's work in supporting teaching and learning is significantly enhancing the student learning experience. Other highlights this year in teaching include the recent EPAS accreditation for the Business School; our appointment of Ireland's first Professor of Midwifery; the new BioInnovate programme; the continuing development of the Arts in Action programme.

Campus Developments: The official opening of the Engineering building in July by An Taoiseach was a highlight of the year. Despite some setbacks during the year the building programme continues and we look forward to the commencement of construction on four (4) key projects early in the new year:

the Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences Building to house our archives and related research activities;
the new Biosciences building to drive research and graduate education in the biomedical area
a Translational Research Facility which will allow us to bring our research from bench to bedside
and a new Lifecourse Institute with a focus on research in Child & Family, Ageing and Gerontology, and Disability Law and policy

Awards and Accolades: Among the many individual and institutional successes of recent months, are a NAIRTL Award for Dr Frances McCormack; successes for our students including a Rhodes Scholarship, Undergraduate Awards and the Royal Irish Academy's Hamilton Award in Mathematics. During the year colleagues have been appointed to important academic and external positions including the Irish Fiscal Advisory Council (Professor John McHale) the Royal Irish Academy (Professors Peter McHugh, Colin O’Dowd and Donal O’Regan) and European Research Council (Professor Nicholas Canny). These representative examples serve to highlight the commitment of staff and students to the highest standards of research and teaching excellence. Congratulations to all involved.

Our alumni too continue to distinguish themselves in national life with the recent appointments of graduates and former students to the positions of President of Ireland, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Attorney General, head of the Defence Forces and the Irish Naval Service.

Galway University Foundation

The US Board of Galway University Foundation held its 5^th Annual Gala Banquet on 16^th November as part of its mission to raise funds for NUI Galway's programmes and activities. This event recognised the business and philanthropic achievements of NUI Galway graduate, Adrian Jones, Goldman Sachs, who is a member of the International Advisory Board of the J.E. Cairnes Business School. Proceeds raised by this event are being used to support Autism research work underway in the School of Psychology.

The Foundation continues to support a range of key academic programmes and activities on campus. NUI Galway is fortunate to have one of the most dynamic fundraising operations within the Irish university sector, operating successfully in Ireland and the US. We are grateful for the continuing support and resources which result from the Foundation's activities.

Challenges ahead …

2012 will present its challenges. Increasing competition for students and resources; our position in the international rankings; and the uncertainty of the economic climate all pose considerable questions for us. The morale and enthusiasm of colleagues in meeting these challenges will be critical. We cannot prosper without the continuing contribution of each staff member.

As 2011 draws to a close, I’d like to thank all staff for their hard work and commitment in what has been a positive year for this University. I offer my sincere and renewed thanks to all of you for your continuing efforts. May I wish each and every staff member a peaceful and happy Christmas and every good wish for 2012.

Guím gach dea-ghuí don Nollaig agus don Bhliain Nua.

James J. Browne PhD, DSc, MRIA, C.Eng
Uachtarán – President

Focal ó Uachtarán

A chairde,

Agus 2011 ag teacht chun críche, ba mhaith liom súil a chaitheamh siar ar bhliain a bhí dúshlánach ar chéad bealach. Ábhar misnigh dom i mbliana an obair a rinne an fhoireann acadúil agus an fhoireann tacaíochta chun aghaidh a thabhairt ar na dúshláin a chruthaigh an ghéarchéim eacnamaíochta. Ba mhaith liom a chur in iúl don fhoireann ar fad go bhfuilim an-bhuíoch as an tsolúbthacht agus as an tacaíocht a léiríonn sibh agus sibh ag déileáil leis na dúshláin atá romhainn mar ollscoil agus mar earnáil.

Éachtaí 2011

D’ainneoin na ndúshlán is iomaí gaisce a rinneamar i mbliana. Seo a leanas sampla:

An Taighde Tá ag éirí go maith linn i gcónaí ó thaobh an taighde de. I mbliana, bunaíodh ionaid nua taighde in Ailse Phróstataigh, Cúrsaí saoil agus Uathachas agus Taighde Néarfhorbarthach. Chuir an Leabharlann go mór lenár sócmhainní taighde le cartlanna tábhachtacha cosúil le bailiúcháin Thomas Kilroy, John Huston agus Brendan Duddy. Ó tharla gur bronnadh beagnach 200 céim dhochtúireachta i mbliana, níor chóir go mbeadh aon deacracht againn an sprioc cúig bliana a leagadh síos i bPlean Straitéiseach 2014 a bhaint amach. Is é an dúshlán atá romhainn anois an líon PhD a chothú. Léiríonn tionscnaimh cosúil le Scoláireachtaí Taighde Hardiman, a thosaigh i mbliana, a thiomanta agus atáimid do líon na ndochtúireachtaí a chothú.

An Teagasc: An mhí seo caite fuair mé cuireadh labhairt ag comhdháil idirnáisiúnta d’ollscoileanna sa Ghearmáin ar mhisean sóisialta na n-ollscoileanna. Chuaigh an meas idirnáisiúnta a bhí ag muintir na hEorpa, muintir Mheiriceá agus níos faide i gcéin ar ár gcuid oibre sa réimse seo i bhfeidhm orm. Chuir comhaltaí foirne as gach réimse den Ollscoil seo leis an dea-cháil atá orainn as Foghlaim Seirbhíse agus Obair Dheonach. Is léir dom gur ceannródaithe sinn sa réimse seo. Tá an clár seo, atá faoi cheannas CELT, mar aon le hobair CELT, ag tacú leis an teagasc agus leis an bhfoghlaim agus ag cur go mór le taithí foghlama an mhic léinn. I measc na n-éachtaí eile teagaisc i mbliana bhí creidiúnú EPAS don Scoil Gnó; ceapachán an chéad Ollaimh in Éirinn le Cnáimhseachas; an clár nua BioInnovate; agus an fhorbairt leanúnach ar an gclár Arts in Action.

Forbairtí ar an gCampas: Ar cheann de bhuaicphointí na bliana bhí an oscailt oifigiúil a rinne an Taoiseach ar an bhfoirgneamh Innealtóireachta. D’ainneoin roinnt constaicí i rith na bliana tá an clár tógála ag treabhadh leis agus táimid ag súil go dtosófar ag tógáil ceithre (4) thionscadal mhóra sa bhliain nua:

Foirgneamh na nDán, na nDaonnachtaí agus na nEolaíochtaí Sóisialta ina mbeidh na cartlanna lonnaithe mar aon le gníomhaíochtaí taighde gaolmhara;
an Foirgneamh nua Bitheolaíochtaí chun taighde agus oideachas iarchéime a chur chun cinn i réimse an bhithleighis
Áis Taighde Aistrithigh a éascóidh an taighde a thabhairt ón saotharlann go dtí an t-othar
agus Institiúid nua um Chúrsa an tSaoil a chuirfidh an bhéim ar thaighde i Leanaí & Teaghlaigh, Aoiseachas agus Seaneolaíocht, agus Dlí agus Beartas Míchumais

Dámhachtainí agus Duaiseanna: I measc na n-éachtaí aonair agus institiúide a baineadh amach le roinnt míonna anuas, bhí Duais NAIRTL don Dr Frances McCormack; d’éirigh lenár mic léinn Scoláireacht Rhodes, Duaiseanna Fochéime agus Duais Hamilton an Acadaimh Ríoga sa Mhatamaitic a bhaint amach. I rith na bliana, ceapadh ár gcomhghleacaithe i bpoist thábhachtacha acadúla agus sheachtracha cosúil le Comhairle Fhioscach Chomhairleach na hÉireann (An tOllamh John McHale), Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann (Na hOllúna Peter McHugh, Colin O’Dowd agus Donal O’Regan) agus Comhairle Taighde na hEorpa (An tOllamh Nicholas Canny). Is ionann na samplaí seo agus léargas ar dhúthracht na gcomhaltaí foirne agus na mac léinn an caighdeán is airde taighde agus teagaisc a bhaint amach. Comhghairdeas leo ar fad.

Tá an alumni freisin go mór chun cinn sa saol mór le ceapachán céimithe agus iarmhic léinn na hOllscoile seo mar Uachtarán na hÉireann, Taoiseach, Tánaiste, Ard-Aighne, ceannaire na bhFórsaí Cosanta agus Sheirbhís Chabhlaigh na hÉireann.

Fondúireacht na hOllscoile

Reáchtáil Bord Mheiriceá d’Fhondúireacht na hOllscoile an 5^iú Mórfhéasta Bliantúil an 16 Samhain chun airgead a bhailiú do chláir agus do ghníomhaíochtaí OÉ Gaillimh. Thug an ócáid seo aitheantas d’éachtaí gnó agus daonchairdis céimí OÉ Gaillimh, Adrian Jones, Goldman Sachs, atá ina bhall de Bhord Comhairleach Idirnáisiúnta Scoil Gnó J.E. Cairnes. Úsáidfear an t-airgead a bailíodh ag an ócáid seo chun tacú le taighde ar an Uathachas i Scoil na Síceolaíochta.

Tá an Fhondúireacht ag tacú le réimse gníomhaíochtaí agus clár acadúil ar an gcampas. Tá an t-ádh le OÉ Gaillimh ceann de na gníomhairí bailiúcháin airgid is fearr in Ollscoileanna na hÉireann a bheith aici ag obair ar a son in Éirinn agus i Meiriceá. Táimid fíorbhuíoch as an tacaíocht leanúnach agus as na hacmhainní a fhaighimid ó obair na Fondúireachta.

An bóthar romhainn …

Beidh dúshláin le sárú in 2012. Idir iomaíocht do mhic léinn agus d’acmhainní; ár seasamh sa rangú idirnáisiúnta; agus éiginnteacht na haeráide eacnamaíche is iomaí constaic a bheidh romhainn ar fad. Beidh sprid agus spreagadh gach comhalta foirne ag teastáil chun na dúshláin seo a shárú. Ní éireoidh linn á n-uireasa.

Anois agus 2011 ag teacht chun críche, ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an bhfoireann ar fad as a gcuid oibre agus a ndúthracht le bliain anuas san Ollscoil. Buíochas ó chroí libh as an méid a dhéanann sibh ó lá go lá. Bíodh Nollaig mhór mhaith ag gach comhalta foirne agus athbhliain faoi shéan agus faoi mhaise.

Guím gach dea-ghuí don Nollaig agus don Bhliain Nua oraibh.

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

An tUachtarán

Oifig an Uachtaráin
This page was last updated Thursday, July 19, 2012