Tom Creedon, HR Manager Medtronic awarded two students for academic excellence at the end of first year of the part-time Bachelor of Commerce at NUI Galway. This award was given to the Part-time Bachelor of Commerce students who received the highest average upon completion of the first year of studies following the summer 2007 exams. All non-degree holders were eligible.

The award was divided between two students; Brian Guiry, from Concorde Travel in Ennis, Co. Clare and Michael Noone, from Bank of Ireland, Galway who both received the same overall mark.

The Faculty of Commerce greatly values the support that Medtronic have given this particular programme. The Part-Time Batchelor of Commerce is a four year degree programme in business education. A Diploma in Management is awarded upon successful completion of the first two years. The programme is delivered via e-learning/blended learning which usually involves two introductory training and six weekend workshops per year. There is a high level of flexibility in the design of the programme and it is particularly well suited to real work situations.

A strategic goal of the Cairnes Business School is to strengthen our links with companies like Medtronic and with the wider community. In our new strategy we will seek to work in partnership to develop new and flexible educational programmes and opportunities for collaborative research projects

Medtronic is the world's leading medical technology company, providing lifelong solutions for people with chronic disease. Every 5 seconds, Medtronic products are helping to improve somebody's life all around the world. Medtronic's establishment in Galway came via its 1999 acquisition of Arterial Vascular Engineering (AVE). AVE had previously acquired the cardiovascular business of CR Bard Inc, including the Galway facility, which was set up by Bard in 1982.

Medtronic employs over 2,300 people in Galway. These people are involved in the research, development and manufacture of a range of leading-edge, minimally invasive product technologies for the Vascular Division, including stents, stent delivery systems and angioplasty balloons. These products are used to treat arterial vessel disease in the heart and other regions of the body. The Galway site is also a centre of excellence for the Cardiac Rhythm Management Division, developing and manufacturing products to support heart failure therapy applications.

ENDS