September 2013 NUI Galway’s Opens its Doors for Autumn Open Days

NUI Galway will hold their annual Open Days on Friday, 4 October and Saturday, 5 October. The Open Days will provide an opportunity for prospective students to talk to NUI Galway students and staff, explore the campus and its facilities, and find out more about courses of interest. Friday's Open Day, on 4 October, will run from 9am to 3pm and is aimed at school groups, although individuals are also welcome to attend. Running from 10am to 3pm, Saturday's Open Day on 5 October is for students thinking about university and their parents and families.

The Open Days are expected to attract some 8,000 visitors and are tailored towards Leaving Certificate and mature students who are interested in studying at NUI Galway. Parents, guardians and teachers are also invited on campus to sample life at university.

With over 60 degree programmes on offer at NUI Galway, lecturers and students will be on hand at more than 80 exhibition stands to answer questions on courses, CAO points, employability, and career progression routes. Many of the newer courses at the University have been designed to be responsive to the changing needs of the employment market and meet the needs of the Smart Economy.

Mature students are also welcome to attend the Open Days to meet with current mature students and lecturers, to learn more about the third-level options available to them. This year’s Open Days include a dedicated talk for mature students, highlighting the wide range of support available at the University.  NUI Galway has currently over 900 Mature Students studying across all degree programmes and make up approximately 16% of the student undergraduate population.

Trish Bourke, NUI Galway Mature Students Officer, said: “Embarking on third-level education can be quite a challenge for many mature students. Some may have been out of formal education for some time but it is important to highlight that mature students still perform very well academically each year with 30 mature scholarships awarded for excellence in September 2013. Open Day is the opportune time to meet with lecturers and find out all you need to know before applying through the CAO.”

The Saturday Open Day also includes a Parents’ Programme including an introduction to the University life and a panel information session on key issues such as fees, funding, accommodation, as well as looking ahead to the jobs market for graduates.

The Open Days will feature a mix of taster sessions and short lectures to provide a feel for university life. Events will include hands-on science workshops, interactive demonstrations with cameras, media equipment and podcasts, an expert panel to talk about jobs for Arts students, and interactive sessions with IT systems and robotics.

Commenting on the importance of the NUI Galway Open Days, Caroline Loughnane, Director of Marketing and Communications, says: “Choosing a university is one of the most important decisions a student will ever make. Parents play a key role in supporting students as they take this important next step. Open Day is the perfect opportunity for parents to ensure they have access to all of the information they need to support sons and daughters through their university career. We are encouraging anyone with an interest in studying at NUI Galway to come along, talk to our lecturers and current students, find out about the courses, check out the facilities and decide for yourself whether NUI Galway feels right for you.”

During the Open Days, tours of the campus will allow prospective students to visit the Engineering Building, the largest of its kind in Ireland; state-of the-art sports complex and gym, home to 45 student sports clubs; and Áras na Mac Léinn, the base for over 100 student societies. Tours of the University library and student accommodation will also be available to visitors on the day.

For further details on NUI Galway Open Days, or to view the full programme, visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/opendays/.

-ENDS-

Laethanta Oscailte an Fhómhair in OÉ Gaillimh

 Beidh Lá Oscailte OÉ Gaillimh ar siúl Dé hAoine, an 4 Deireadh Fómhair agus Dé Sathairn, an 5 Deireadh Fómhair. Deis atá sna Laethanta Oscailte do dhaoine ar spéis leo freastal ar OÉ Gaillimh amach anseo labhairt le mic léinn agus foireann OÉ Gaillimh, seal a chaitheamh ag siúl thart ar an gcampas agus na háiseanna breátha ar fad a fheiceáil agus níos mó eolais a fháil faoi chúrsaí. Dírithe ar ghrúpaí scoile atá an Lá Oscailte a bheidh ar siúl idir 9am agus 3pm Dé hAoine, an 4 Deireadh Fómhair, cé go mbeidh fáilte roimh dhuine ar bith cuairt a thabhairt ar an Ollscoil an lá sin chomh maith. Is do mhic léinn atá ag smaoineamh ar aghaidh a thabhairt ar an Ollscoil, dá dtuismitheoirí agus dá dteaghlach an Lá Oscailte, a bheidh ar siúl idir 10am agus 3pm Dé Sathairn, an 5 Deireadh Fómhair.

Táimid ag súil go mbeidh breis is 8,000 cuairteoir ag triall ar an Ollscoil an dá lá seo a bhfuil sé mar aidhm leo aird mic léinn Ardteistiméireachta agus mic léinn lánfhásta araon a tharraingt ar OÉ Gaillimh. Tá míle fáilte roimh thuismitheoirí, roimh chaomhnóirí agus roimh mhúinteoirí cuairt a thabhairt ar an gcampas freisin chun blaiseadh a fháil de shaol na hollscoile.

Tá breis is 60 clár céime á reáchtáil in OÉ Gaillimh anois, agus beidh léachtóirí agus mic léinn ag breis is 80 seastán agus iad ar bís le ceisteanna faoi chúrsaí éagsúla, faoi phointí CAO, faoi dheiseanna fostaíochta agus faoi ghairmeacha beatha a fhreagairt. Is é atá mar aidhm le go leor de na cúrsaí atá bunaithe san Ollscoil le blianta beaga anuas a chinntiú go mbeidh na céimithe in ann poist a fháil dóibh féin agus go mbeidh siad breá ábalta dlús a chur faoi fhorbairt an Gheilleagair Ghlic amach anseo.

Tá fáilte roimh mhic léinn lánfhásta, chomh maith, chuig na Laethanta Oscailte chun go gcasfaidh siad le mic léinn lánfhásta reatha agus le léachtóirí chun eolas a fháil faoi na roghanna tríú leibhéal atá ar fáil dóibhsean. Beidh caint ar leith ar siúl do mhic léinn lánfhásta chun léargas a thabhairt dóibh ar an réimse mór tacaíochta atá ar fáil san Ollscoil.  Faoi láthair, tá breis is 900 Mac Léinn lánfhásta ag staidéar ar chlár céime san Ollscoil agus is ionann iad agus timpeall 16% de líon iomlán na mac léinn fochéime.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Trish Bourke, Oifigeach na Mac Léinn Lánfhásta in OÉ Gaillimh: “Is mór an dúshlán do roinnt mac léinn lánfhásta aghaidh a thabhairt ar oideachas tríú leibhéal. D’fhéadfadh an t-oideachas a bheith fágtha ina ndiaidh ag roinnt acu le tamall fada ach tá sé tábhachtach a léiriú go n-éiríonn go hiontach le mic léinn lánfhásta ó thaobh na hacadúlachta de gach bliain agus bronntar 30 scoláireacht ar mhic léinn lánfhásta as a sárchaighdeáin i Meán Fómhair 2013. Deis iontach atá sa Lá Oscailte le casadh le léachtóirí agus aon eolas atá uait a fháil sula ndéanfaidh tú iarratas ar an CAO.”

Beidh Clár do Thuismitheoirí ar siúl Dé Sathairn, chun eolas a thabhairt do thuismitheoirí faoi shaol na hOllscoile agus beidh seisiún eolais painéil ann chun eolas a thabhairt faoi tháillí, maoiniú, lóistín agus an fhostaíocht a bheidh ar fáil amach anseo do na céimithe.

Beidh idir sheisiúin agus léachtaí gairide ar siúl i rith na Laethanta Oscailte le blaiseadh a thabhairt do chách ar an gcineál saoil a chaitheann mic léinn in OÉ Gaillimh. I measc na n-imeachtaí a bheidh ar siúl beidh ceardlanna praiticiúla eolaíochta, taispeántais idirghníomhacha le ceamaraí, ríomhairí agus podchraoltaí, painéal saineolaithe a labhróidh faoi phoist do mhic léinn sna Dána, agus seisiúin idirghníomhacha le córais IT agus le róbataic.

Ag labhairt di faoi thábhacht na Laethanta Oscailte, dúirt Caroline Loughnane, an Stiúrthóir Margaíochta agus Cumarsáide in OÉ Gaillimh: “Ceann de na cinntí is tábhachtaí a dhéanfaidh mac léinn go brách an ollscoil a bhfreastalóidh sé/sí uirthi a roghnú. Tá ról tábhachtach ag tuismitheoirí tacú le mic léinn agus iad i mbun an cinneadh sin a dhéanamh. Is é an Lá Oscailte an deis is fearr do thuismitheoirí a chinntiú go bhfuil an t-eolas ar fad acu chun tacú le mac nó le hiníon i rith a dtréimhse ag an ollscoil. Molaimid do dhuine ar bith ar spéis leo staidéar in OÉ Gaillimh teacht chuig an Lá Oscailte, labhairt leis na léachtóirí agus leis na mic léinn reatha, eolas a fháil faoi chúrsaí, breathnú ar na háiseanna agus a fháil amach duit féin an bhfeileann OÉ Gaillimh duitse.”

I rith na Laethanta Oscailte, tabharfar deis do chuairteoirí sciuird a thabhairt ar an bhFoirgneamh Innealtóireachta, an foirgneamh is mó dá leithéid in Éirinn; ar an ionad spóirt den scoth agus giomnáisiam, ionad a bhíonn in úsáid go rialta ag baill an 45 club spóirt atá bunaithe anseo san Ollscoil; agus ar Áras na Mac Léinn – áit a mbíonn imeachtaí ar siúl ag an mbreis is 100 cumann atá bunaithe anseo san Ollscoil. Beidh deis ag cuairteoirí cuairt a thabhairt ar leabharlann na hOllscoile agus dul chomh fada leis na háiseanna lóistín atá ar fáil anseo ar an gcampas freisin más mian leo.

Tá tuilleadh eolais maidir leis na Laethanta Oscailte agus clár iomlán le fáil ag http://www.nuigalway.ie/opendays/.

-CRÍOCH-