This year NUI Galway and GMIT celebrate ten years of joint Foundation Courses, the pre-entry preparation programmes for third-level education. Aimed at mature students, the Foundation Courses consist of a series of evening lectures over a 25 week period. An open Information Evening for the NUI Galway Foundation Course in Engineering and Science will be held on Tuesday, 15 September. The Information Evening for the Foundation Course in Commerce and Business will be held on Thursday, 17 September. Both events will take place in room AC202 on the Concourse in NUI Galway at 7pm. Deirdre O'Connor, Access Officer with GMIT, commented: "The current economic climate has resulted in a substantial increase in the numbers of mature students wishing to gain entry to third level education and these courses ensure that students are adequately prepared". NUI Galway recently hosted a graduation ceremony for students who completed the 2008/2009 joint NUI Galway/GMIT Foundation Course in Engineering and Science and in Business and Commerce. At the ceremony 88 students were presented with certificates and many have now progressed to full and part-time degree programmes at both NUI Galway and GMIT. On congratulating the students, Trish Hoare, Mature Students Officer at NUI Galway, said: "I would like to acknowledge the level of commitment among the participants, many of whom were returning to education after a significant period of time". Foundation Courses are due to commence this October. Those interested can contact Mary Liddy, NUI Galway at 091-495445, email mary.liddy@nuigalway.ie, or Deirdre O'Connor, Access Officer, GMIT at 091-742129 or Deirdre.OConnor@gmit.ie. -ends-