NUI Galway and Enterprise Ireland Host Business Symposium on Winning Business in the US Medical Device Market   Industry leaders from household name American medical devices giants such as Boston Scientific, Medtronic and Stryker are in NUI Galway later this week to address a major symposium for Irish companies. The event on Friday, 15 June, organised by Enterprise Ireland and NUI Galway, will provide first-hand advice on ‘Winning Business in the US Medical Device Market’ from US industry experts, while over 80 individual buyer meetings have also organised between the US representatives and the Irish companies in attendance.  Boston Scientific, Medtronic, Terumo, Stryker, Arsenal Medical, Sapheon and MedCelerate are among the US companies presenting at the event. Irish companies, Aerogen and Vistamed, will also give their insights into how they successfully sell into the US market. In Ireland, the medical technology sector employs over 25,000 people in over 250 companies, with exports of over €7.2 billion per annum which continues to grow year-on-year. With fifty percent of the Irish medical technology company base now composed by indigenous firms, the importance of the US - the largest medical technology market in the world – is critical to their success. Speaking in advance of the event, Dr Emer Mulligan, Head of the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway, said: “In terms of innovation, research and development, Ireland has a proven pedigree in the med tech sector. However, there are many business aspects to cracking the US market - from procurement, to personnel, to legal issues, regulation and business culture - that must be appreciated. At this unique event, we hope to provide these invaluable business insights that will ultimately open doors in the US and enhance the success of Irish companies.” Gerry Murphy, Enterprise Ireland’s Americas Director, added: “The US Med Device sector is undoubtedly the most important med device sector worldwide, valued at $127 Billion per annum and expected to reach over $151 Billion by 2015. This is a really practical way for Irish medical device companies to learn from US experts and proven Irish companies about how best to be successful in the world’s main market. Apart from the strategy and technical mentoring on offer, this event provides an opportunity for these Irish firms to meet executives and buyers in individual meetings.  We expect business partnerships to begin at this event that will ultimately lead to increased exports.” ENDS  

A new scholarship scheme for Leaving Certificate students has been launched by NUI Galway. All students who achieve at least 560 points in their Leaving Certificate, and go onto study at the University this autumn, will benefit from an automatic €2,000 scholarship. The only exception being Medical students, for whom the qualification criteria differ slightly. The ‘Excellence Scholarships’ are designed to recognise and reward Leaving Cert success for the highest-achieving students, and encourage their ongoing commitment to academic excellence during their time at NUI Galway. There is no need to apply for the scholarships, as the new undergraduate students who have met the Leaving Cert points criteria for the Excellence Scholarships will be automatically contacted once they enrol at NUI Galway. The Excellence Scholarships recognise the academic achievements of our brightest new entrants, who have performed exceptionally well in the Leaving Certificate,” explains Martina Ní Chúlain, Admissions Officer at NUI Galway. “These prestigious awards will provide some financial assistance to high calibre students, thus facilitating their transition into higher education and their continued academic success.” For Medical students there will be 10 special scholarships for those scoring the top 10 points, based on the combined results in the Leaving Certificate and the Admissions Test (H-PAT Ireland). Meanwhile, a certain number of scholarships will be ring-fenced by individual College, to ensure allocation across the different disciplines at NUI Galway. The initiative is one of a series of scholarship schemes put in place by NUI Galway to help encourage academic success. Students at NUI Galway can also benefit from Postgraduate Scholarships, Mature Student Scholarships and schemes specific to individual colleges for those who excel in their University exams. For full details of all available scholarships visit www.nuigalway.ie -ENDS-   OÉ Gaillimh le luach saothair a thabhairt do na Daltaí Ardteiste is Éirimiúla   Sheol OÉ Gaillimh scéim nua scoláireachta inniu do dhaltaí Ardteistiméireachta. Beidh gach dalta a bhaineann 560 pointe amach san Ardteistiméireacht agus a thagann chuig an Ollscoil le staidéar a dhéanamh an fómhar seo, i dteideal scoláireacht €2,000 a fháil. Is iad mic léinn Leighis an t-aon eisceacht, beidh critéir cháilíochta rud beag éagsúil dóibh sin. Tá na ‘Scoláireachtaí Feabhais’ ann chun luach saothair a thabhairt do na daltaí is fearr a n-éiríonn leo san Ardteistiméireacht, agus chun a dtiomantas leanúnach i bhfeabhas acadúil a spreagadh le linn a dtréimhse in OÉ Gaillimh. Ní gá aon iarratas a dhéanamh ar na scoláireachtaí, déanfar teagmháil go huathoibríoch leis na mic léinn nua fochéime a bhfuil na pointí riachtanacha bainte amach acu san Ardteistiméireacht le cáiliú do na Scoláireachtaí Feabhais chomh luath agus a chláraíonn siad in OÉ Gaillimh. “Aithníonn na Scoláireachtaí Feabhais éachtaí acadúla na mac léinn is éirimiúla atá ag tosú linn, agus a bhfuil éacht déanta acu san Ardteistiméireacht,” a deir Martina Ní Chualáin, Oifigeach Iontrála in OÉ Gaillimh. “Tabharfaidh na dámhachtainí gradamacha seo cúnamh airgeadais éigin do mhic léinn ar ardchaighdeán, rud a chabhróidh leo agus iad ag aistriú isteach san earnáil ardoideachais agus iad ag leanúint ar aghaidh lena rath acadúil.” Beidh 10 scoláireacht speisialta ar fáil do na mic léinn Leighis a n-éiríonn leo na pointí is airde a bhaint amach, bunaithe ar thorthaí na hArdteistiméireachta agus na Tástála Iontrála (H-PAT Ireland). Ag an am céanna, déanfaidh an Coláiste líon áirithe scoláireachtaí a chur ar leataobh le cinntiú go mbeidh deis ag mic léinn atá i mbun disciplíní éagsúla orthu. Is ceann de shraith scéimeanna scoláireachta é an tionscnamh seo atá á chur ar fáil ag OÉ Gaillimh chun rath acadúil a spreagadh. Tá deiseanna ar fáil do mhic léinn in OÉ Gaillimh ar Scoláireachtaí Iarchéime, ar Scoláireachtaí do Mhic Léinn Lánfhásta agus ar scéimeanna a bhaineann go sonrach le coláistí ar leith dóibh siúd a n-éiríonn go maith leo ina gcuid scrúduithe Ollscoile. Chun teacht ar shonraí iomlána na scoláireachtaí ar fad atá ar fáil féach www.nuigalway.ie -CRÍOCH-

-Open for Online Public Vote - NUI Galway has been shortlisted for a major architectural award from the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, in both the ‘Best Educational Building’ and ‘Public Choice’ categories, for their recently completed Engineering Building. Providing facilities for research and development, educating future generations and reinforcing the relationship between Galway City and the University, this ‘Public Vote’ award, provides an opportunity for all to support their City and University. To vote for NUI Galway’s Engineering Building in the ‘Public Choice’ category visit www.riai.ie. Under the ‘Public Choice Award’ section tick the Engineering Building, NUI Galway section and click ‘vote’. This shortlisting adds to the accolades of the innovative building where recently it was awarded the Sustainability Award at the 30th Irish Concrete Society Awards, recognising excellence in both design and construction in concrete. Opened in 2011 by An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, the Engineering Building at NUI Galway is a world-class teaching and research facility. The building has been designed to be a teaching tool in itself, with exposed construction techniques and an array of ecological building methods. The 14,250 sqm, four story building supports an emerging generation of engineers, engaged in a new wave of technologies, embracing innovation and entrepreneurship and accommodates some 1,100 students and 110 staff. -ENDS-

Over 60 primary school children from across Galway City and County successfully completed NUI Galway’s Youth Academy at a special ceremony recently. The Youth Academy programme ran over a six-week period on Saturday mornings with a number of courses on offer including: Italian Language and Culture; Philosophical Discovery; Psychology- Who We Are, How We Think and What We Do; and Engineering- Structural, Environmental and Climate Studies. The Youth Academy aims to work with high-ability primary school children in the local community to support their learning and academic development. The programme aims to inspire entry into third-level education by introducing children and their families to university life and by creating positive perceptions of the University and its’ academic programmes. This pilot project was successful in receiving funding from the Bright Ideas Initiative which was launched by Professor Chris Curtin, Vice President for Innovation and Performance at NUI Galway, who said: “We live in the knowledge economy and while education is important activity in its own right, it is vital that the economy is fuelled by able and knowledgeable citizens. The Youth Academy provides a fantastic start to children who at such an early stage are committed and eager to learn.” The Youth Academy is the result of a collaboration between NUI Galway’s Mary Dempsey, College of Engineering and Informatics, Dr Caroline Heary, School of Psychology, Lorraine McIlrath, Community Knowledge Initiative and Dr Colm O’Reilly, Irish Centre for Talented Youth, Dublin City University. Galway City Mayor Hildegard Naughton, who attended the ceremony, stressed the importance of all institutions in the education sector partnering on activities and responding to the education needs of the wider community. She congratulated NUI Galway on their vision for establishing the Youth Academy and bringing a sense of academic challenge to the young primary school children. Captain Brian Sheridan, a parent of one of the Youth Academy students, said: “It was a great few weeks, enjoyed thoroughly by my son Tom and, as a family, we all benefitted from just listening to him extol the virtues of each lecture. The future is indeed bright with children pioneering the uncut path.” For further information on the Youth Academy email the coordinator, Geraldine Marley at youthacademy@nuigalway.ie. -ends-

July is festival time in Galway and to celebrate the NUI Galway Societies Office is inviting all primary school children to take part in a young artist art competition and exhibition. Children are allowed to use any media on an A4 page to explore the theme of the exhibition, ‘Festival Time in Galway’. The competition and exhibition is open to all primary school children in Galway and participants are asked to include their name, school, home address and contact number on the back of their entry. The name, age and school will be displayed on the winning posters. Deadline for competition is Friday, 22 June. As part of the exhibition, judges will select a number of pictures as winners of the Young Artists Competition. The first prize winner will receive €100 plus four tickets to one of the following children’s theatre shows: Truth Fairy, Wish Factor, What’s the Story Nellie or Do you Speak Mermish?. There will be two runners-up of €50 plus 2 tickets to one of the aforementioned theatre shows. The top 40 will be made into posters and displayed throughout Galway City during the July festivals. NUI Galway Children’s Theatre programme, scheduled for the month of July, includes four new children’s shows and five days of drama workshops. During the Volvo Ocean Race, as part of the Colours Fringe Festival running from 12-30 July, two of these shows and a drama workshop will take place from 2-6 July, from 11.30am-4pm. One of the shows, What’s the Story Nelly, incorporates interactive story telling with the entertaining Mrs Nelly Murphy and friends. In keeping with the oceanic theme Do you Speak Mermish? incorporates a multi-sensory room bringing children to the deepest ocean to meet a retired mermaid. The other two children’s shows, The Wish Factor and The Truth Fairy, brings the audience into two very different versions of story land where the children will be asked to make some important decisions. For full details on the competition and all the shows visit www.socs.nuigalway.ie or email socsbox@socs.nuigalway.ie. -Ends-