Message from the President

A Iarchéimithe,

Is mór an onóir dom a bheith i m’Uachtarán nua ar Ollscoil na Gaillimhe. Is institiúid iontach í seo a bhfuil stair aici ar údar bróid í agus todhchaí spreagúil i ndán di, agus tá áthas orm bualadh faoin turas seo in éineacht libh.

Ó thaobh mo ghairme de, is néareolaí acadúil cliniciúil mé a bhfuil speisialtóireacht déanta agam i ngalar Parkinson agus i riochtaí gaolmhara. Sular tháinig mé anseo, bhí mé i mo Leas-Seansailéir Cúnta ar Eolaíochtaí Leighis in Ollscoil Newcastle, áit ar fhoghlaim mé fíorluach na comhpháirtíochta agus an méid is féidir a bhaint amach nuair a oibríonn daoine as lámha a chéile.

Táim ag teacht go hÉirinn le breis agus 35 bliain anuas, a bhuíochas le mo bhean chéile Aileen, as Contae Luimnigh. Tá eolas agus cion agam ar chultúr agus ar thraidisiúin an Iarthair, agus táim ag tnúth le ceiliúradh agus iad a chur chun cinn anseo i nGaillimh agus níos faide i gcéin. B’fhéidir go bhfuil mo rás deiridh rite agam ó thaobh na maratón i gConamara agus in Acaill, ach táim ar bís le tabhairt faoi na dúshláin nua atá romham.

Tuigim ó na cuairteanna a thug mé ar an gcampas agus ó bheith ag caint leis an bhfoireann agus leis na mic léinn, go bhfuil tallann, cruthaitheacht agus deiseanna iontacha anseo. Ag féachaint chun cinn sna blianta atá le teacht agus ag tarraingt go mór ar Straitéis nua na hOllscoile, creidim gur féidir linn aitheantas idirnáisiúnta a bhaint amach d’Ollscoil na Gaillimhe as sármhaitheas iontu seo a leana

• Cruthaitheacht, cultúr agus pobal – ag cur lenár n-oidhreacht, leis an nGaeilge agus lenár gcáil ó thaobh taighde ar chearta an duine.
• Inbhuanaitheacht agus timpeallachtaí seasmhacha – ó fhuinneamh mara agus teicneolaíocht talmhaíochta go taighde aeráide.
• Sonraí trasfhoirmeacha agus Intleacht Shaorga – le hionaid barr feabhais atá ag dul i gcion ar an saol mór.
• Nuálaíocht don tsláinte – ár gceannaireacht sa Teicneolaíocht Leighis a neartú agus cur le teorainneacha nua i gcúram sláinte nasctha.

I dteannta a chéile agus mar gheall ar ár n-iarrachtaí sna réimsí seo agus i réimsí láidre eile, déanfaimid ár ndícheall aitheantas a bhaint amach sna ranguithe QS 200 is fearr ar domhan, ag léiriú tallann phobal na hOllscoile seo.   Oibreoimid freisin chun oideachas cumhachtach, dírithe ar an todhchaí, a chruthú a thacaíonn le gach mac léinn trí chosáin dhigiteacha atá feabhsaithe ag intleacht shaorga, rud a chinnteoidh taithí foghlama a ullmhaíonn iad don saol amach rompu.

Neartóimid ár n-iarrachtaí daonchairdiúla ionas gur féidir deiseanna nua a thabhairt do mhic léinn, don fhoireann agus don phobal i gcoitinne, rud a leathnóidh raon feidhme agus tionchar ár gcuid oibre. Ag an am céanna, rachaimid i gcomhpháirtíocht le dreamanna eile chun lóistín inacmhainne a chur ar fáil do mhic léinn, chun infheistíocht a mhealladh, agus chun oibriú ar son infreastruchtúr a rachaidh chun tairbhe don Iarthar agus don Iarthuaisceart.

Ar bhealach suntasach, léireoimid ceannaireacht maidir leis an gcomhionannas, an éagsúlacht agus an cuimsiú trí na bearnaí pá i seirbhísí acadúla agus gairmiúla a dhúnadh, ionadaíocht na mban ag leibhéal na n-ollamh a mhéadú, agus cultúr a fhorbairt ina mbraitheann gach duine san Ollscoil go bhfuil meas orthu agus go bhfuil tacaíocht acu. Ní bhainfear an fhís seo amach mura n-oibreoimid le chéile. Ba mhaith liom go gcloisfí gach guth, agus táim ag iarraidh dul i ngleic le hábhair imní a ardaíodh le gairid san iniúchadh ar chlú, go háirithe maidir le naisc níos láidre a chruthú idir an fhoireann agus an bhainistíocht, chomh maith le saincheisteanna eile a ardaíodh.

Tuigim go bhfuil rialáil agus rialachas lárnach in earnáil Ardoideachais na hÉireann agus go mothódh daoine gur cur amú ama roinnt próiseas nó córas. Ach míneoimid i gcónaí an chúis atá leo agus déanfaimid ár ndícheall iad a shimpliú nuair is féidir. Cuirim fáilte roimh bhur gcuid smaointe agus réiteach cruthaitheach.

Thar aon ní eile, creidim i gcomhrá oscailte, measúil. Is é mo thaithí féin gur cuid shláintiúil den saol acadúil an éagsúlacht tuairimí agus is foinse chruthaitheachta í, ach iarraim freisin go mbeidh ár gcomhráite fréamhaithe i gcónaí inár luachanna comhroinnte, go háirithe meas.

Táim ag tnúth le bualadh leis an oiread agaibh agus is féidir sna seachtainí amach romhainn, foghlaim faoi bhur gcuid oibre, agus cloisteáil go díreach ónár mic léinn agus mo thuras anseo ag tosú taobh lena dturas siúd.

Le dea-ghuí,

An tOllamh David Burn

Uachtarán
Ollscoil na Gaillimhe

Graduates,

It is a real honour to join University of Galway as your new President. This is a remarkable institution with a proud history and an exciting future, and I am delighted to begin this journey with you.

Professionally, I am a clinical academic neurologist specialising in Parkinson’s disease and related conditions. Before coming here, I served as Pro-Vice Chancellor for Medical Sciences at Newcastle University, where I learned the real value of partnership and what can be achieved when people work together.

Ireland has been part of my life for over 35 years, thanks to my wife Aileen, who is from County Limerick. I know and love the culture and traditions of the West, and I look forward to celebrating and promoting them here in Galway and beyond. My marathon-running days in Connemara and Achill may be behind me, but I am excited for the new challenges ahead.

From my visits to campus and conversations with staff and students, I have already seen the extraordinary talent, creativity and opportunity we have here. Looking to the years ahead and drawing heavily from the recent University Strategy, I believe we can make University of Galway recognised internationally for excellence in:

• Creativity, culture and society - building on our heritage, the Irish language and our reputation for human rights research.
• Sustainability and resilient environments - from marine energy and agritech to climate research.
• Transformative data and AI - with centres of excellence making real-world impact.
• Innovation for health - strengthening our MedTech leadership and driving new frontiers in connected healthcare.

Together and because of our endeavour in these and other areas of strength, we will strive for recognition in the QS Top 200 rankings, showcasing the collective talent of our university community.   We will also work to create empowering, future-focused education that supports every student through AI-enhanced digital pathways, ensuring a learning experience that prepares them for the world ahead.

We will strengthen our philanthropic efforts so that new opportunities can be opened for students, staff, and the wider community, extending the reach and impact of our work. At the same time, we will partner with others to deliver affordable student accommodation, attract investment, and advocate for infrastructure that will benefit the West and Northwest.

Importantly, we will lead the way in equality, diversity and inclusion by closing the academic and professional services pay gaps, increasing the representation of women at professorial level, and building a culture where every member of our university feels valued, respected, and supported. This vision will only be realised by working together. I want every voice to be heard, and I am committed to addressing concerns raised in the recent reputation audit, particularly around building stronger connections between staff and management, as well as other issues raised.

I realise the Irish Higher Education sector is shaped by regulation and governance and that some processes or systems can feel burdensome. But we will always explain why they are necessary and do our best to simplify where possible. I welcome your ideas and creative solutions.

Above all, I believe in open, respectful dialogue. In my experience differing views are a healthy part of academic life and a source of creativity, but I also ask that we always root our conversations in our shared values, especially respect.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible in the weeks ahead, learning about your work, and hearing directly from our students as my journey here begins alongside theirs.

Kind regards,

Professor David Burn

President
University of Galway