June 2013 Galway Children ‘Graduate’ From NUI Galway

NUI Galway recently conferred the third cohort of graduates from its Youth Academy. At the special ceremony held at the University, 158 primary school children from across Galway City and County were presented with certificates of participation by President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, with more than 800 attending the ceremony.

Established in 2012, the Youth Academy aims to inspire entry to university by introducing children and their families to university life. Since its foundation, over 400 children have graduated from a range of specially designed courses including English, Engineering, Information Technology, Psychology, Science Exploration, Mandarin, Philosophical Discovery, Italian language and culture, Physics and Irish History.

The Youth Academy runs for a six-week period on a Saturday morning from 10am to 12.30pm, and works with high ability fourth and fifth class primary school children to support their learning and academic development, in partnership with their primary schools. The programme is free to attend due to funding received through the Office of the Vice-President for Innovation and Performance at NUI Galway.

Speaking at the event, President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, said: “NUI Galway is committed to sharing knowledge with the wider community and ensuring that the pathways to university are open to all. I would like to pay tribute to the commitment and support of the parents gathered, for encouraging a culture of learning and knowledge among some of the youngest members of the community, who will go onto to fuel the knowledge economy.”

The Youth Academy was founded by NUI Galway colleagues, Mary Dempsey, College of Engineering and Informatics, Dr Caroline Heary, School of Psychology, and Lorraine McIlrath, Community Knowledge Initiative, and is supported by Vice-President for Innovation and Performance, Professor Chris Curtin. The Irish Centre for Talented Youth, based in Dublin City University, has supported and helped guide the activity.

On behalf of the founding members, Mary Dempsey said: “I believe that the combination of forward thinking, enthusiastic and energetic youth academy children linked through structured modules together with encouraging academics can indeed be a recipe for success. It can create and encourage an environment of innovation and self directed learning to meet the future needs of the knowledge economy.”

For further information on the programme please contact Geraldine Marley, the Youth Academy Coordinator, at youthacademy@nuigalway.ie.

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