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OllscÉala - OCTOBER 2010

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

 

As Autumn adds colour to our campus, I am delighted to report some good news since the last issue of Ollscéala. Earlier this month we raised our position to 232^nd in the QS World University Ranking and we have held our position in The Sunday Times University Guide.  This validation of the work and reputation of NUI Galway is further substantiated by our recent funding success in the Government's Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) and by the significant increases in demand for our courses, as shown in our CAO figures. 

PRTLI Success 

In July, NUI Galway secured almost €60 million for capital and research programmes.  Our success was the result of comprehensive planning and preparation engaged in over two years by support and academic staff right across the University.  Having a well-defined research strategy, with clearly articulated projects and a firm implementation plan meant we were well poised for PRTLI success. 

This funding is a strong endorsement of our activities and our approach to inter-institutional and industry collaboration. It is also recognition of the work of Galway University Foundation and its donors, who have provided very significant matching funds. It is gratifying to note the broad spread of the funding from the Medical Sciences and Engineering to the Humanities and Social Sciences.  I'd like to pay tribute to all those involved in the PRTLI bid, from all areas of the University, for their teamwork and commitment - our success is your success!

Campus Development

Now, as we embark on the work of delivering these major world-class research facilities, the campus community faces a challenge.   Work has commenced on the Arts Humanities & Social Sciences Research Building on the south campus and the Biosciences Building on the North Campus, while major construction continues on the Engineering Building.  In the coming months we expect to begin work on the Clinical Research Facility and a range of other projects. 

I would ask colleagues for their patience and support as the Buildings Office deals with the significant logistical challenge of keeping the campus operating normally during this wave of construction activity which will position us exceptionally well for the future.  I think it's worth remembering that already - within 12 months of the publication of the University’s Strategic Plan 2009-2014 - we have begun work on 70% of the large-scale capital projects we planned to undertake, and we expect completion of these buildings by the end of 2011.  I commend the Buildings Office staff for their hard work in this regard.

We are fortunate that despite the pressures on recurrent budgets, we can move ahead with important capital developments at a time when construction costs are at their lowest level for many years. So please, bear with us!

Our Student Numbers

In the last edition, I reported good news on our CAO numbers, with a substantial increase in initial CAO first preference applications. I am pleased to report that this trend continued through the Change of Mind process.  NUI Galway ended the year with a strong performance, with a record 18% increase in undergraduate applications in the last two years.  Our share of the undergraduate market, currently at 14.3%, is now increasing at a faster rate than that of all of the other Irish universities.

In welcoming these new students we're working to improve the first year experience.  This year the Office of the Executive Director of Operations established a First Year Student Hotline, in conjunction with student administration offices, handling many calls from parents and students over a six-week period.  Satisfaction with this service was high, and in addition to assisting prospective students, the hotline relieved considerable administrative pressure on offices dealing with student entry.  The hotline was staffed by students, with additional voluntary support from staff members, who deserve praise for giving their time in this way. Well done!

The University continues to attract international students, which today account for 13% of our student population or 2,235 full- and part-time students.  At orientation on 2 September, we welcomed over 250 Erasmus and 300 visiting US students.  Our growing international reputation, as evidenced in the recent rankings, will only serve to increase these numbers.

Alliances with University of Limerick and Georgia Tech

Our alliance with the University of Limerick continues to thrive.  On 16 September we held a joint meeting of management at both universities in Galway.  Our University Management Team and Deans met the Executive Board of the University of Limerick in a one-day facilitated workshop.  During this meeting we learnt about each other’s operational structures; examined the nature of collaboration and other existing higher education alliances in Ireland and abroad; and we reviewed our considerable progress to date.  From that meeting it is clear that our alliance is working well and we identified a range of actions and future opportunities as part of the medium to longer term vision for our partnership.  In the coming weeks both Presidents will issue a joint communication updating staff in some detail about the progress of our alliance.

Our more recent alliance with the Georgia Institute of Technology has been given impetus by the appointment of Prof. Padraic O'Donoghue as Programme Manager.  In this role he will co-ordinate and manage interactions between NUI Galway, Georgia Tech and Georgia Tech Ireland (GTI) based in Athlone.

I would like to thank all staff for their efforts in bringing many of the projects above to fruition.  In challenging times, I continue to be inspired by the many staff whose commitment as administrators, teachers, researchers and civic leaders serves to enhance NUI Galway's reputation.

Beir bua agus beannacht,
James J. Browne PhD, DSc, MRIA, C.Eng
Uachtarán – President

Focal ó Uachtarán

I bhfómhar buí na gréine, tá an-áthas orm dea-scéala a thabhairt daoine ó foilsíodh an t-eagrán deiridh de Ollscéala. Níos túisce an mhí seo, bhaineamar an 232^ú háit amach i Rangú Ollscoileanna an Domhain QS agus choinníomar an áit a bhí againn sa Sunday Times University Guide.  Is léiriú breise ar an aitheantas atá á thabhairt d’obair agus do chlú OÉ Gaillimh a fheabhas a d’éirigh linn le gairid ó thaobh maoiniú de ón gClár Taighde in Institiúidí Tríú Leibhéal Rialtas na hÉireann (PRTLI) agus an t-éileamh breise atá ar ár gcuid cúrsaí, mar a léiríonn na figiúirí CAO. 

Dea-scéala PRTLI

I mí Iúil, bhain OÉ Gaillimh beagnach €60 milliún amach do chlár caipitil agus taighde.   Ní éireodh linn an t-airgead seo a bhaint amach murach pleanáil agus ullmhú na foirne tacaíochta agus na foirne acadúla san Ollscoil le dhá bhliain anuas.   Mar gheall go raibh straitéis taighde shoiléir againn mar aon le tionscadail shoiléire agus plean daingean chun iad a chur i gcrích chinntíomar go n-éireodh linn faoi PRTLI.  

Léiríonn an maoiniú seo go bhfuil tacaíocht láidir ag ár ngníomhaíochtaí agus ag ár gcur chuige maidir le comhoibriú idirinstitiúideach agus tionscail. Aitheantas atá ann chomh maith ar obair Fhondúireacht na hOllscoile agus a deontóirí, a bhfuil cómhaoiniú déanta acu ar na tionscadail. Is mór an onóir an maoiniú a bheith roinnte ar na hEolaíochtaí Leighis agus Innealtóireacht agus ar na Daonnachtaí agus na hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta.  Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leo siúd ar fad a bhí páirteach san iarratas ar PRTLI, as gach réimse san Ollscoil, as an obair foirne agus an dúthracht – is libhse an t-éacht seo!

Forbairt ar an gCampas

Anois, agus an obair ag tosú ar na háiseanna taighde den scoth seo, tá dúshlán le sárú ag pobal an champais. Tá an obair tosaithe ar an bh Foirgneamh Taighde sna Dána, sna Daonnachtaí agus sna hEolaíochtaí Sóisialta ar an gcampas theas agus ar an bh Foirgneamh Taighde sna Bitheolaíochtaí ar an gcampas thuaidh, agus tá an obair ar an bh Foirgneamh Innealtóireachta ag leanúint ar aghaidh.  As seo go ceann cúpla mí, tá sé i gceist againn tús a chur leis an obair ar an Áis Taighde Chliniciúil chomh maith le réimse tionscadail eile. 

Iarraim foighne agus tacaíocht oraibh de réir mar a láimhseálann Oifig na bhFoirgneamh an dúshlán ollmhór a bhaineann leis an gcampas a choinneáil ag imeacht mar is gnách fad atá an obair thógála seo ar bun, mar go mbeidh luach ár gcuid saothair le feiceáil againn amach anseo.  Ná dearmad, taobh istigh de dhá mhí dhéag ó Phlean Straitéiseach na hOllscoile 2009-2014 a fhoilsiú, go bhfuil obair tosaithe ar níos mó ná 70% de na tionscadail mhóra chaipitil a bhí beartaithe, agus táthar ag súil go mbeidh na foirgnimh seo tógtha faoi dheireadh 2011.  Molaim foireann Oifig na bhFoirgneamh as a gcuid oibre ina leith seo.

Tá an t-ádh linn, ainneoin an bhrú ar bhuiséid, gur féidir linn leanúint ar aghaidh le forbairtí móra caipitil nuair atá costais tógála níos isle ná mar a bhí siad le blianta fada. Mar sin, bígí foighneach linn, le bhur dtoil!

Líon na Mac Léinn

San eagrán deiridh, dúirt mé go raibh dea-scéala againn maidir le huimhreacha CAO, agus ardú mór tagtha ar líon na ndaoine a roghnaigh OÉ Gaillimh mar chéad rogha ina n-iarratais CAO. Tá an-áthas orm a rá gur mar sin a bhí sa phróiseas Athrú Intinne chomh maith.  D’éirigh thar cionn le OÉ Gaillimh, le hardú 18% ar líon na n-iarratas fochéime le dhá bhliain anuas.  Tá an sciar atá againn den mhargadh fochéime, 14.3% faoi láthair, ag dul i méid níos sciobtha ná an sciar atá ag aon ollscoil eile in Éirinn.

Agus fáilte á cur roimh na mic léinn nua seo, táimid ag iarraidh eispéireas na chéad bhliana a fheabhsú.  I mbliana, bhunaigh Oifig an Stiúrthóra Feidhmiúcháin Oibríochtaí Beolíne do Mhic Léinn na Chéad Bhliana, i gcomhar le hoifigí riaracháin na mac léinn, ag déileáil le glaonna ó thuimsitheoirí agus ó mhic léinn ar feadh tréimhse sé seachtaine.  Bhí an tseirbhís seo an-sásúil, agus chomh maith le cuidiú le mic léinn nua, bhain an Bheolíne an-bhrú riaracháin de na hoifigí a dhéileálann le hiontráil na mac léinn.  Bhí mic léinn ag obair ar an mBeolíne le tacaíocht dheonach ó chomhaltaí foirne, a bhfuil ardmholadh tuilte acu. Maith sibh!

Tá an Ollscoil fós ag mealladh mic léinn idirnáisiúnta, is ionann iad agus 13% de líon iomlán na mac léinn nó 2,235 mac léinn lánaimseartha agus páirtaimseartha.  Ag seisiún eolais an 2 Meán Fómhair, chuireamar fáilte roimh bhreis agus 250 mac léinn Erasmus agus 300 mac léinn ar cuairt ó na Stáit Aontaithe.  Méadóidh na huimhreacha seo chomh maith de réir mar a mhéadóidh ár gcáil idirnáisiúnta, de réir an rangú le gairid.

Comhfhiontair le hOllscoil Luimnigh agus Georgia Tech

Tá an comhfhiontar le hOllscoil Luimnigh ag dul ó neart go neart.  Bhí cruinniú ag an lucht bainistíochta ón dá ollscoil an 16 Meán Fómhair i nGaillimh.  Chas Foireann Bainistíochta agus Déin na hOllscoile le Bord Feidhmiúcháin Ollscoil Luimnigh do cheardlann aon lae.  Sa chruinniú seo, d’fhoghlaimíomar faoi struchtúir oibríochtúla a chéile; bhreathnaíomar ar chomhoibriú agus comhfhiontair ardoideachais eile in Éirinn agus thar lear; agus ar an dul chun cinn suntasach atá déanta againn go dtí seo.  Ba léir ón gcruinniú sin go bhfuil ag éirí go maith leis an gcomhfhiontar agus leagamar síos réimse gníomhaíochtaí agus deiseanna amach anseo mar chuid den fhís don chomhpháirtíocht sa mheántréimhse agus san fhadtréimhse.  As seo go ceann cúpla seachtain, cuirfidh an bheirt Uachtarán comhfhreagras chuig na comhaltaí foirne á gcur ar an eolas faoi dhul chun cinn an chomhfhiontair.

Mar chuid den chomhfhiontar atá againn leis an Georgia Institute of Technology, ceapadh an tOll. Padraic O'Donoghue mar Bhainisteoir Cláir.  Ina ról, comhordóidh sé agus bainisteoidh sé na hidirghníomhaíochtaí idir OÉ Gaillimh, Georgia Tech agus Georgia Tech Ireland (GTI) atá lonnaithe i mBaile Átha Luain.

Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghlacadh leis an bhfoireann ar fad as cuidiú le go leor de na tionscadail thuas a chur i gcrích.  Tráth seo na géarchéime, faighim ardú meanma ó na comhaltaí foirne ar fad, idir riarthóirí, teagascóirí, taighdeoirí agus ceannairí a bhíonn ag iarraidh cur le cáil OÉ Gaillimh.

Beir bua agus beannacht,

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

 

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