Details have been announced of NUI Galway's sixth annual Gala Banquet, which will take place at the Radisson SAS Hotel on Saturday 5th March 2005.

The theme of the 2005 Gala Banquet is the University's mission in international education. The Gala will focus on NUI Galway's role as an international force for change in improving educational opportunities for students from developing countries. To underline this global responsibility a major new initiative, the NUI Galway International Scholars programme has been announced.

The NUI Galway International Scholars programme is a philanthropic initiative spearheaded by Galway University Foundation who will be working with a range of donors to secure substantial new scholarship funds for postgraduate students from developing countries to study in NUI Galway. Income from the Gala Banquet itself will also contribute to this new initiative.

One of the highlights of the evening is the presentation of seven Alumni Awards. These awards celebrate the life-long value of an NUI Galway education and recognise individual excellence and achievements among the more than 50,000 graduates worldwide. The Alumni Awards are, Medtronic Vascular Award for Health Care and Medical Science; Seavite Award for Natural Science; Bank of Ireland Award for Business and Commerce; Hewlett-Packard Award for Literature, Communications and the Arts; TBD Award for Engineering, IT and Mathematics; Duais Hewlett-Packard don Ghaeilge and the NUI Galway Award for Law, Public Service and Government.

Speaking at this week's reception, Dr. Iognáid Ó Muircheartaigh, President of NUI Galway said: "The University's Gala Banquet has established itself as a premier national event and one of the key social occasions in the West of Ireland. This year the event will celebrate NUI Galway as an international centre of educational excellence. The establishment of the NUI Galway International Scholars programme, which will feature prominently at the Gala, is a major philanthropic initiative which will enable us to help students from developing countries to continue their studies at this University."

Ticket for the banquet cost €150 each or a table of 10 for €1,500. For further information, please telephone 091 495266 or Email: gala@nuigalway.ie

Ends