The College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway is to embark on a new educational strategy which will enhance the learning experience for students, and will ensure that graduates will be to the forefront as Ireland continues to develop into a knowledge economy. The introduction of new advanced teaching methods will see an increased usage of computing and laptop technologies in the upcoming academic year across all programmes in the College. The College in conjunction with PC manufacturer Lenovo have identified a specific high performance laptop which is preloaded with specialised engineering and informatics software that is essential for the students. The College has also negotiated a discounted purchase price for students at 40% below the normal retail price. This initiative is unique in Ireland and will be rolled out to students for the first time at the start of the coming academic year, in September 2009. Dr David O Sullivan at the College of Engineering and Informatics, NUI Galway, said: "We are very excited about this new initiative. Our students will have round-the-clock access to all of our information tools and resources. The new laptop scheme will significantly enhance the educational experience of students on programmes in Engineering and Informatics. The availability of a high spec machine with several specialised software packages at a reduced cost will allow the students carry out assignments and projects in any location at any time. It will also facilitate more relevant interactive teaching in the lecture hall". When students purchase a Lenovo ThinkPad W500 laptop they will have access to on-campus repair services, next working-day consulting facilities, warranty and a four year accidental damage insurance to protect their investment. Students can either choose to buy a laptop outright or, for a more affordable option, lease a laptop directly from the manufacturers. Globally, Lenovo has invested in similar initiatives across 500 universities. Some of the leading universities in the United States have adopted the initiative such as St John s University and Rensselear Polytechnic Institute, New York and Wake Forest University in North Carolina. Niamh Minnock, Education Account Manager, Lenovo Ireland, says: "NUI Galway will be the first university to engage in this type of initiative with Lenovo in Ireland, and signifies Lenovo's commitment to Ireland and Irish third-level education. It is available exclusively to NUI Galway and if successful we plan to roll out to universities throughout the country". The College of Engineering and Informatics offers undergraduate and postgraduate programmes of learning in a number of branches of engineering and informatics. Three additions to its programmes include Bachelors of Engineering in Energy, Sports and Exercise Engineering and Engineering Innovation – Electronic. New postgraduate programmes include the Master of Applied Science in Enterprise Systems. -Ends-

Men with angina are twice as likely to have a heart attack and almost three times as likely to suffer a heart disease-related death than women with the same condition, finds a study published in the British Medical Journal today. Led by Dr Brian Buckley of NUI Galway, the study is the first to link primary and secondary care data with mortality records to assess the risks of angina among men and women. In the United Kingdom, angina is common and is often the first manifestation of ischaemic heart disease. Recent estimates suggest that 4.8% of men and 3.4% of women aged over 16 in England have the condition, while in Scotland angina is reported to occur in 6.6% of men and 5.6% of women. It is therefore important for both patients and their clinicians to understand the risks following a diagnosis of angina. Researchers based in Scotland and Ireland identified 1,785 patients (average age 62 years) from 40 primary care practices in Scotland who were newly diagnosed with angina between January 1998 and December 2001. According to Dr Buckley, who is a Cochrane Fellow and researcher in Primary Care at NUI Galway and an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen, "Angina must be taken seriously. This research really shows how important it is for people with angina to change their lifestyle and take their tablets. This message is so important and is today reinforced by the fact that the British Medical Journal – one of the top medical journals in the world – published this research". The study showed that a number of characteristics, including being male, age, smoking and obesity, in people with a first diagnosis of angina are strongly associated with subsequent risk of a number of cardiac outcomes. These results suggest that appropriate control of risk factors and optimal use of preventative medical treatments should be aggressively pursued in patients with angina, the authors conclude. Underlying conditions, such as diabetes and high blood pressure, were recorded and cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking and obesity, were also assessed. The postcode of each patient was also used to assign a deprivation status. Participants were tracked for five years. Being male, older and a smoker was associated with an increased risk of having a heart attack, while being male, older, obese and a smoker were each associated with an increased risk of death from heart disease or any other cause. The likelihood of having a procedure to open up blocked arteries, known as angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG), was also higher in men than in women. But, interestingly, neither procedure was associated with significantly improved survival. Dr Buckley added: "At a time when many people are naturally concerned about data protection, people may be interested to know that at no time were the researchers able to identify any of the patients involved - the information they worked with was entirely anonymous. This study illustrates the great value of using such anonymous clinical datasets to answer important research questions, in a rigorous way which protects patient confidentiality". -ends-

(Leagan Gaeilge) NUI Galway will offer a total of 68 undergraduate and postgraduate university places to the unemployed under a new initiative announced by the Minister for Education, Batt O'Keeffe T.D.. As part of a Government plan to retrain those who have recently become unemployed, the University is delighted to announce the provision of places on the following postgraduate courses for the academic year starting September 2009: Postgraduate Diploma in Enterprise Management Postgraduate Diploma in International Business Masters in Business Information Systems Masters in Accounting Postgraduate Diploma in Technology Commercialisation A nominal fee of €350 will be charged for Diploma programmes and €500 for Masters programmes with all other tuition and registration fees waived for successful applications under this scheme. The announcement follows last weeks allocation by Minister O'Keeffe of free places on part-time undergraduate programmes across the country which include 25 free places on the modular BSc in Science and Technology Studies and linked programmes in the area of Medical Device Science and Environmental Sustainability at NUI Galway. The programmes approved at NUI Galway under this scheme respond to the ongoing up-skilling and re-training needs of specific sectors of the regional economy, namely business, medical devices, services and ICT, while also building upon the University's research and teaching strengths in these areas. Seamus O'Grady, Director of Adult & Continuing Education at NUI Galway, said: "While addressing key future skills needs, the approved programmes also provide students with an opportunity to update and improve their skills and redirect their careers". "The programmes aim to provide essential technical, management and entrepreneurial skills for students, but will also develop students' professional development skills of critical thinking, communication, and decision-making – essential for employees in industry and core to the success of Ireland's future economic growth," added O'Grady. Eligible applicants, as set out by the Higher Education Authority, include those in receipt of unemployment benefit or allowance for six months or more as of 04 September 2009, or those who have been awarded Statutory Redundancy from their most recent job. Those interested in the undergraduate or postgraduate courses should attend one of three information sessions to be held in the Aula Maxima, NUI Galway on Tuesday, 18 August, Thursday 20 August and Wednesday 26 August between 4 and 6pm. Course lecturers and career advisers will be available at each session to advise on course choice. The closing date for postgraduate applications is Thursday, 27 August, 2009. Interested applicants can visit the Adult Education website on http://www.nuigalway.ie/adulteducation/freeplaces for contact details regarding programme co-ordinators, course content and delivery dates. Áiteanna ar fáil in OÉ Gaillimh do dhaoine dífhostaithe mar chuid de Scéim an Rialtais chun Obair a Mhúscailt (View in English) Cuirfidh OÉ Gaillimh 68 áit fochéime agus iarchéime ar fáil san Ollscoil do dhaoine dífhostaithe faoi thionscnamh nua a d'fhógair an tAire Oideachais, Batt O'Keeffe T.D. Mar chuid de phlean an Rialtais athoiliúint a chur orthu siúd a chaill a bpost le gairid, tá an-áthas ar an Ollscoil áiteanna a fhógairt ar na cúrsaí iarchéime seo a leanas don bhliain nua acadúil a thosóidh i Meán Fómhair 2009: Dioplóma Iarchéime i mBainistíocht Fiontair Dioplóma Iarchéime i nGnó Idirnáisiúnta Máistreacht i gCórais Faisnéise Gnó Máistreacht i gCuntasaíocht Dioplóma Iarchéime i dTráchtálú Teicneolaíochta Gearrfar táille €350 ar Dhioplómaí agus €500 ar Mháistreachtaí ach ní ghearrfar aon táille eile teagaisc ná clárúcháin orthu siúd a gheobhaidh áit faoin scéim seo. D'fhógair an tAire O'Keeffe áiteanna saor in aisce ar chláir fochéime pháirtaimseartha ar fud na tíre an tseachtain seo caite. Beidh 25 áit díobh sin ar an BSc modúlach i Staidéar Eolaíochta agus Teicneolaíochta agus nascfaidh sé cláir sna réimsí Eolaíocht na bhFeistí Leighis agus Inmharthanacht Comhshaoil in OÉ Gaillimh le chéile. Léiríonn na cláir atá ceadaithe in OÉ Gaillimh faoin scéim seo an gá atá le scileanna nua agus athoiliúint in earnálacha áirithe de gheilleagar an réigiúin, go háirithe gnó, seirbhísí, feistí leighis agus ICT, agus, ag an am céanna, cuirfear le láidreachtaí taighde agus teagaisc na hOllscoile sna réimsí céanna. Dúirt Seamus O'Grady, Stiúrthóir an Oideachais Aosaigh & Leanúnaigh in OÉ Gaillimh: "Agus scileanna tábhachtacha don todhchaí á soláthar, gheobhaidh na mic léinn an deis a scileanna a fheabhsú agus a ngairmeacha a thabhairt i dtreo nua ar na cláir seo." "Is é aidhm na gclár, scileanna riachtanacha teicniúla, bainistíochta agus fiontraíochta a thabhairt do mhic léinn, agus, ag an am céanna, scileanna forbartha gairmiúla na mac léinn a fhorbairt i smaointeoireacht chriticiúil, cumarsáid, agus cinnteoireacht – scileanna atá riachtanach d'fhostaithe sa tionscal agus atá riachtanach d'fhorás eacnamaíoch na tíre amach anseo," a dúirt O'Grady. Is iad na hiarratasóirí atá incháilithe don scéim seo, de réir an Údaráis um Ard-Oideachas, iad siúd atá ag fáil sochar nó liúntas dífhostaithe le sé mhí nó níos faide faoin 4 Meán Fómhair 2009, nó iad siúd a fuair iomarcaíocht reachtúil óna bpost deiridh. Ba chóir dóibh siúd, ar mian leo tabhairt faoi chúrsa fochéime nó iarchéime, freastal ar cheann de na trí sheisiún eolais a bheidh ar siúl san Aula Maxima, OÉ Gaillimh Dé Máirt, an 18 Lúnasa, Déardaoin, an 20 Lúnasa agus Dé Céadaoin, an 26 Lúnasa idir 4 agus 6pm. Beidh léachtóirí na gcúrsaí agus comhairleoirí gairme i láthair ag na seisiúin chun comhairle a chur orthu maidir leis na cúrsaí. Is é an spriocdháta do na hiarratais iarchéime Déardaoin, an 27 Lúnasa 2009. Féadfaidh iarratasóirí breathnú ar láithreán gréasáin an Oideachais Aosaigh – www.nuigalway.ie/adulteducation/freeplaces – chun sonraí teagmhála a fháil do chomhordaitheoirí na gclár, chun ábhar na gcúrsaí agus spriocdhátaí a fheiceáil. -Críoch-

(Leagan Gaeilge) With just one week to go to the Leaving Cert results, the College of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway has announced details of its annual Special Entrance Maths Examination. The exam, which will take place on Wednesday, 19 August, is aimed at students who achieve the points for undergraduate Engineering Degree courses at NUI Galway but do not have the maths requirement. For more than 20 years, NUI Galway has provided this special entrance exam to help applicants who did not achieve the required grade C3 or better in Higher Level Mathematics. Those who took Lower Level Maths in the Leaving Cert may also apply for the exam. Students who pass this examination will be deemed to have satisfied the maths requirement and providing they have the necessary points, will receive an additional CAO offer at Round 2. This year, in a new initiative, NUI Galway will hold an intensive preparatory course for applicants intending to sit the exam. The free course will run from Thursday, 13 August to Tuesday, 18 August. As well as preparing students for the special examination, lecturers will demonstrate the significant relevance of mathematics across the engineering programmes and will highlight the applicability of mathematics to some illustrative engineering examples. Professor Padraic O'Donoghue, Dean of Engineering and Informatics at NUI Galway, says: "Mathematics is central to the teaching of Engineering. Every year we have prospective students who have an aptitude for maths, but on the day of the Leaving Cert did not have a good exam. These are the students we are targeting with our Special Entrance Maths Examination, to provide a second chance for them to prove their capabilities in this important subject". NUI Galway has seen soaring demand for its Engineering programmes, in particular for new courses such as Energy Systems Engineering, which is designed in response to a growing demand for professional engineers to work in the energy sector. There is also demand for Engineering Innovation, which aims to create a new type of electronic engineer with skills in innovation and entrepreneurship essential to delivering the Smart Economy . "Ireland's 'Smart Economy' will require graduates of a very high calibre. This exam, allows quality students who have scored well on points a second chance. Over the years we have seen some high-calibre students study here with us, graduate and go to have very successful careers because this special exam provided that opportunity. This exam is in keeping with NUI Galway s policy of providing additional entry opportunities to students", added Professor Padraic O'Donoghue. Applications for the Special Maths Examination will be accepted at the admissions office reception desk up to 9am the morning of exam. Those interested in the revision maths course and the examination should visit http://www.nuigalway.ie/engineering/specialmaths.html Tugann Scrúdú Speisialta Matamaitice in OÉ Gaillimh an Dara Seans do Mhic Léinn na hArdteistiméireachta (View in English) Beidh torthaí na hArdteistiméireachta amuigh faoi cheann seachtaine, agus tá Coláiste na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice in OÉ Gaillimh i ndiaidh an Scrúdú Speisialta Iontrála Matamaitice a fhógairt arís i mbliana. Beidh an scrúdú ar siúl Dé Céadaoin, an 19 Lúnasa, agus tá sé dírithe ar mhic léinn a fhaigheann na pointí chun cúrsa céime san Innealtóireacht a dhéanamh in OÉ Gaillimh ach nach bhfuil an riachtanas matamaitice acu. Le breis agus scór bliain anuas, tá an scrúdú speisialta iontrála seo á reáchtáil ag OÉ Gaillimh chun cabhrú le hiarratasóirí nach bhfuil grád C3 nó níos airde bainte amach acu sa pháipéar Ardleibhéil Matamaitice. Féadfaidh siad siúd a rinne an páipéar Gnáthleibhéil Matamaitice san Ardteistiméireacht an scrúdú a dhéanamh chomh maith. Má fhaigheann mac léinn pas sa scrúdú seo beidh an riachtanas matamaitice sásaithe aige/aici agus gheobhaidh sé/sí tairiscint eile ón CAO i mBabhta 2 má bhíonn na pointí riachtanacha aige/aici. I mbliana, den chéad uair, beidh dianchúrsa ullmhúcháin ar siúl in OÉ Gaillimh dóibh siúd ar mian leo an scrúdú a dhéanamh. Beidh an cúrsa saor in aisce ar siúl idir Déardaoin, an 13 Lúnasa agus Dé Máirt, an 18 Lúnasa. Chomh maith le mic léinn a ullmhú don scrúdú speisialta, léireoidh léachtóirí an tábhacht a bhaineann le matamaitic i gcláir innealtóireachta agus an úsáid is féidir a bhaint as matamaitic i samplaí innealtóireachta. Dúirt an tOllamh Padraic O'Donoghue, Déan na hInnealtóireachta agus na hIonformaitice in OÉ Gaillimh: "Tá Matamaitic lárnach i dteagasc na hInnealtóireachta. Gach bliain, ní éiríonn chomh maith sin ar an lá le mic léinn Ardteistiméireachta, cé go bhfuil luí acu leis an matamaitic. Táimid ag díriú ar na mic léinn sin leis an Scrúdú Speisialta Iontrála Matamaitice, chun an dara seans a thabhairt dóibh a gcumas a léiriú san ábhar tábhachtach seo". Tá éileamh as cuimse ar chláir Innealtóireachta OÉ Gaillimh, go háirithe ar chúrsaí nua cosúil le hInnealtóireacht Córas Fuinnimh, a cuireadh ar fáil le freastal ar an méadú ar an éileamh atá ar innealtóirí gairmiúla le hoibriú in earnáil an fhuinnimh. Tá éileamh chomh maith ar Nuálaíocht Innealtóireachta, cúrsa a chuirfidh cineál nua innealtóirí leictreonacha ar fáil a mbeidh scileanna nuálaíochta agus fiontraíochta acu, scileanna atá riachtanach chun an 'Geilleagar Glic' a chothú. "Teastóidh céimithe den scoth chun Geilleagar Glic na hÉireann a bhaint amach. Tugann an scrúdú seo an dara seans do mhic léinn den scoth a bhfuil na pointí faighte acu. In imeacht na mblianta bhí mic léinn ar ardchaighdeán linn, agus d'éirigh leo poist mhaithe a bhaint amach de bhrí gur thug an scrúdú speisialta seo an deis sin dóibh. Tagann an scrúdú seo le polasaí OÉ Gaillimh deiseanna breise a thabhairt do mhic léinn áit a fháil ar chúrsaí" a dúirt an tOllamh Padraic O'Donoghue. Glacfar le hiarratais ar an Scrúdú Speisialta Matamaitice san Oifig Iontrála go dtí 9am maidin an scrúdaithe. Tá eolas breise maidir leis an dianchúrsa matamaitice le fáil ar http://www.nuigalway.ie/engineering/specialmaths.html -Crioch-

The latest book by Professor Bill Schabas, Director of the Irish Centre for Human Rights at NUI Galway, addresses the 'crime of crimes' - genocide. Genocide in International Law: The Crime of Crimes, 2nd edition (Cambridge University Press, 2009) consists of a major revision of the first edition, which was published by Professor Schabas in 2000. The new book reviews the very important case law on genocide since 2000, the substantial academic contributions and the political developments, such as recognition of the doctrine of the responsibility to protect. The book was launched at NUI Galway recently by Professor David Scheffer, who served as the first United States Ambassador-at-Large for War Crimes Issues during President Bill Clinton's second term in office. Professor Sheffer said of the book: "Future generations of lawyers will accord the name Schabas the same high honour we accord all those titans of our legal curriculum, scholars who educate not only us mere mortals, but also the judges who rely on their insights and wisdom to decide hard cases". Professor Schabas has participated in numerous international human rights missions on behalf of non-governmental organisations such as Amnesty International and the International Federation of Human Rights, to Rwanda, Burundi, South Africa, Kenya, Uganda, Sudan, Cambodia and Guyana. In 2002, the President of Sierra Leone appointed him to the country s Truth and Reconciliation Commission upon the recommendation of Mary Robinson, the then United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. In his preface to the new book, Professor Schabas writes: "There has probably been more legal development concerning the crime of genocide in the eight years since the first edition of this book was completed than in the five preceding decades". He adds: "Crowning this fertile period, in February 2007 the International Court of Justice issued its major ruling on the subject, a long-awaited conclusion to a case filed by Bosnia and Herzegovina against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1993". Professor Schabas teaches at the Irish Centre for Human Rights, NUI Galway, which has become internationally recognised in the field of human rights teaching, research and advocacy. This has enabled the institution to attract high quality students to its acclaimed MA programmes and doctoral research. Reflecting the growing interest in this field, the University has also now developed a Bachelor of Arts with Human Rights. -ends-