Two NUI Galway academics will be honoured by the National Academy for the Integration of Research & Teaching and Learning (NAIRTL) in their new programme of awards honouring exemplary teachers who are also innovative researchers in higher education in Ireland. Dr Peter Cantillon, Department of General Practice and Dr Ray Murphy, Irish Centre for Human Rights, were selected for two of the five national awards. Dr James Browne, President of NUI Galway, said: "It is very good news that two members of NUI Galway academic staff have been recognised by NAIRTL as exemplary teachers, and for NUI Galway to win two of the five awards is a huge achievement and a testament to the quality of the nominations put forward from this institution. Both Dr Cantillon and Dr Murphy were recipients of our internal awards for teaching excellence in 2006-2007, which recognises the outstanding efforts academic staff make to ensure NUI Galway students receive the highest quality learning experience. We look forward to continued collaboration with NAIRTL and to further success in the national awards scheme in 2009". Teaching and research are both central to the role of academic staff, and excellence in teaching and in creative and scholarly work go hand in hand. The NAIRTL Awards aim to acknowledge and reward academic staff that are successful in uniting these two roles. The awards are intended to recognise teaching accomplishments and to promote public recognition and celebration of the teaching profession. Nominations were invited from the NAIRTL partner institutions, (CIT, NUIG, TCD, UCC and WIT). The awards ceremony will be held later this year. For details of all award recipients nationally check out the NAIRTL website http://www.nairtl.ie/index.php?pageID=68 From 2009 it is envisaged that this initiative will be open to all higher education institutions in the Republic of Ireland. ENDS

Cuireann Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh fáilte roimh an maoiniú ón Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta don chúrsa nua MA Ateangaireacht Chomhdhála, an chéad chúrsa dá shórt in Éirinn. Agus an scéala á fhógairt inniu aige, dúirt Éamon Ó Cuív T.D., Aire Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta, go bhfuil deiseanna iontacha ar fáil anois do dhaoine le Gaeilge san Eoraip de bharr stádas a bheith ag an nGaeilge mar theanga oifigiúil agus oibre de chuid an AE: "Molaim an cúrsa seo d'éinne atá ag iarraidh slí bheatha spéisiúil agus thairbheach le Gaeilge a bhaint amach. Cruthóidh cáilíocht mar ateangaire le Béarla agus Gaeilge féidearthachtaí do dhaoine óga agus don teanga nach raibh ar fáil dúinn roimhe seo". Tá an clár seo á bhunú ar an gCéim Mháistreachta Eorpach in Ateangaireacht Chomhdhála (European Masters in Conference Interpreting) – clár a forbraíodh i gcomhar le hinstitiúidí an Aontais Eorpaigh agus atá á chur ar fáil in 18 dtír san Eoraip. Díreofar i rith an chúrsa ar úsáid na Gaeilge agus an Bhéarla mar theangacha gníomhacha agus éighníomhacha ateangaireachta, agus ar úsáid na Fraincise mar theanga éighníomhach. Féadfar teangacha Eorpacha eile a úsáid i rith an chúrsa má bhíonn dóthain éilimh orthu sin. Ar mhaithe le mic léinn a ullmhú don saol gairmiúil atá rompu, díreofar ar ghnéithe mar scileanna cumarsáide ar nós glóroiliúint, óráidíocht phoiblí, chomh maith le dianchleachtadh ar an ateangaireach leantach agus an ateangaireacht chomhuaineach. Eagrófar seachtain staidéir chuig Coimisiún na hEorpa agus Parlaimint na hEorpa chun léargas a thabhairt do na mic léinn ar obair na n-ateangairí comhdhála sna hinstitiúidí sin. Beidh seans ag mic léinn ar mian leo an Fhraincis a úsáid ar an gcúrsa dianchúrsa Fraincise a dhéanamh i bPáras i mí Mheán Fómhair faoi na scoláireachtaí atá á maoiniú ag an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Dúirt Eoin Ó Droighneáin, stiúrthóir an chúrsa: "Cuirim fáilte roimh an tionscnamh seo ón Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta agus ceapaim go gcuideoidh an dianchúrsa Fraincise go mór le mic léinn barr feabhais a chur ar a gcuid Fraincise agus iad ag teacht isteach ar an gcúrsa MA in Ollscoil na hÉireann, Gaillimh." Dúirt sé: "Tá géarghá ag an Aontas Eorpach le hateangairí oilte, cáilithe le Gaeilge. Is é seo an t-aon chúrsa MA dá leithéid sa tír agus ullmhóidh sé mic léinn le slí bheatha a bhaint amach mar ateangairí comhdhála gairmiúla. Bainfidh na mic léinn úsáid i rith an chúrsa as trealamh faoi leith a bhíonn in úsáid ag ateangairí gairmiúla san Eoraip; fágfaidh an cleachtadh a gheobhaidh siad anseo go mbeidh an-seans ag mic léinn ar phostanna gradamúla a fháil mar ateangairí gairmiúla ach a gcríochnóidh siad an cúrsa". Tá an MA (Ateangaireacht Chomhdhála) á chur ar fáil ag Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, institiúid lán-Ghaeilge na hOllscoile le haghaidh cúrsaí tríú leibhéal trí Ghaeilge, agus beidh sé ar siúl san Ionad atá ag an Acadamh ar an gCeathrú Rua i nGaeltacht na Gaillimhe. Tá an cúrsa féin á mhaoiniú ag Údarás na Gaeltachta agus dá bharr seo ní bheidh táille ar bith le híoc ag mic léinn a gheobhaidh áit ar an gcúrsa. Tá iarratais á nglacadh le haghaidh áiteanna ar an gcúrsa faoi láthair agus is féidir teagmháil a dhéanamh le Siobhán Ní Chualáin ag + 353 91 495428 nó ar an ríomhphost ag aistriuchan@oegaillimh.ie má theastaíonn tuilleadh eolas breise ina thaobh. CRÍOCH

Tabharfaidh An tAcadamh Náisiúnta um Chomhtháthú Taighde & Teagaisc & Foghlama (NAIRTL) aitheantas do bheirt chomhaltaí acadúla foirne OÉ Gaillimh faoina gclár nua gradam a thugann aitheantas do theagascóirí den chéad scoth ar taighdeoirí nuálacha freisin iad san earnáil ardoideachais in Éirinn. Roghnaíodh an Dr Peter Cantillon ó Roinn na Dochtúireachta Teaghlaigh agus an Dr Ray Murphy ón Ionad Éireannach um Chearta an Duine mar bhuaiteoirí gradam. Cúig ghradam ar fad a bhronntar. Dúirt an Dr James Browne, Uachtarán, OÉ Gaillimh: "Dea-scéala é go bhfuil aitheantas mar theagascóirí den chéad scoth faighte ag beirt chomhaltaí acadúla foirne OÉ Gaillimh ó NAIRTL. Éacht suntasach do OÉ Gaillimh dhá ghradam as cúig ghradam a fháil; léargas eile fós ar chaighdeán na n-ainmniúchán curtha faoi bhráid NAIRTL ag an institiúid seo. Bronnadh Gradaim an Uachtaráin don Fheabhas Teagaisc 2006-2007 – scéim inmheánach gradam OÉ Gaillimh – ar an Dr Cantillon agus ar an Dr Murphy. Tugann Gradaim an Uachtaráin don Fheabhas Teagaisc aitheantas don obair iontach atá ar bun ag comhaltaí acadúla foirne ar mhaithe le cinntiú go mbaineann mic léinn OÉ Gaillimh tairbhe as taithí foghlama ar ardchaighdeán. Táimid ag súil le hoibriú i gcomhar le NAIRTL amach anseo agus le tuilleadh gradam a fháil i scéim náisiúnta gradam 2009". Gnéithe bunúsacha de ról na gcomhaltaí acadúla foirne iad teagasc agus taighde, agus is ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann teagasc den chéad scoth agus obair chruthaitheach agus léannta. Is é atá mar aidhm le Gradaim NAIRTL aitheantas agus gradam a thabhairt do chomhaltaí acadúla foirne a bhfuil ag éirí leo an dá ról seo a nascadh. Is ann do na gradaim seo le haitheantas a thabhairt d'éachtaí teagaisc agus aitheantas agus ceiliúradh poiblí a dhéanamh ar ghairm na múinteoireachta. Fáiltíodh roimh ainmniúcháin ó institiúidí comhpháirtíochta NAIRTL, (CIT, OÉ Gaillimh, UCC agus WIT). Beidh an searmanas bronnta ar siúl níos faide anonn sa bhliain. Tá eolas maidir leis na buaiteoirí ar fad le fáil ar láithreán gréasáin NAIRTL http://www.nairtl.ie/index.php?pageID=68 Ón mbliain 2009 ar aghaidh, meastar go mbeidh cead ag na hinstitiúidí ardoideachais ar fad i bPoblacht na hÉireann páirt a ghlacadh sa tionscnamh seo. CRÍOCH

NUI Galway was host this week to the 47th summer conference of the Ecclesiastical History Society. The conference theme this year was 'God's Bounty? The Churches and the Natural World', and over 75 delegates attended the four-day conference. With some 950 members, the UK based Ecclesiastical History Society (EHS) aims to foster interest in, and to advance the study of, all areas of the history of the Christian Churches. Membership of the Society is open to any scholar or scholarly institution. According to the President of the EHS, Dr Bill Sheils from the University of York: "As concerns about our use and abuse of natural resources increase, this year we have chosen the impact of scientific knowledge on religious understanding as a central conference theme. The question of 'stewardship of the world' has exercised some of the finest theological and philosophical minds in the past, and continues to inform contemporary discussion of mankind's global responsibilities and the development of 'a social gospel of mutual dependence". Dr Alison Forrestal, Lecturer in History at NUI Galway, and a board member of the EHS, stressed the importance of understanding this particular area of history. "The Christian Churches shaped so many aspects of political, social and religious history, and played an integral part in many social and societal movements. The conference offers the opportunity to explore topics ranging from the interpretation of omens in medieval England, to early Irish Christian interpretations of creation, and to Jesuit conversions in the Americas in the 1600s, and through modern understandings of the environment". For further information on the Ecclesiastical History Society visit http://www.ehsoc.org.uk/ -ends-

Graduates of the MA in Screenwriting at NUI Galway have now scooped three Pitching Awards at the Galway Film Fleadh, since the award's inception in 2004. The most recent winner is Barbara Deignan (MA Screenwriting 06), from Carrick-on-Shannon, Co Leitrim. The competition takes the format of a ten minute movie idea pitch to a public audience and experienced judging panel, followed by questions from both. This year the panel included: US actor Bill Pullman; founder of Magma Films, Ralph Christians; former President of United Artists, Bingham Ray: and acclaimed film maker, broadcaster and teacher, Lelia Doolan. Will Collins (MA Screenwriting 06) won the award last year and has expanded his pitch into a completed script which has attracted much interest from film producers and financiers. The 2005 winner, Keith Bogue (MA Screenwriting 05), subsequently secured development funding from the Irish Film Board. According to Rod Stoneman, Director of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, NUI Galway: "The Galway Film Fleadh continues to support and promote promising talent on the Irish film scene through this popular award. Previous winners Will Collins and Keith Bogue are well on the road to a completed feature film. Huston School congratulates Barbara Deignan on winning this year and we also commend Hugh Travers (MA Screenwriting 06) on his place in the final." The MA in Screenwriting was the inaugural programme of the Huston School of Film & Digital Media at NUI Galway. The one-year, full-time programme offers training in screenplay writing, integrated with courses in film history and analysis, supported by regular film screenings and workshops. For further information on the MA Screenwriting please contact info@filmschool.ie -ends-