NUI Galway calls on industry to strenghten partnerships in graduate education

The College of Science at NUI Galway will host a workshop to meet the regional ecosystem of industries and jointly set the course for a new generation of highly-skilled graduate students, who will have the capacity to enter the job market where Ireland’s regional industry needs it most.

The ‘Regional Innovation through Graduate Education’ workshop will take place on Monday, 1 December, starting at 1pm with a networking reception.

Dr Gerard O'Connor, Vice-Dean for Graduate Studies with the College of Science at NUI Galway, said: “Industry-University partnerships in graduate education can address key barriers to innovation by providing access to research expertise, technological infrastructures and market insights. This approach is the foundation to a fuller realisation of the scientific, technological and commercial potential of Ireland.”

The workshop will provide an opportunity for companies with interests in R&D collaboration to network with NUI Galway academics and discuss mechanisms of reciprocal engagement. The executives of smaller companies as well as representatives of the R&D and engineering departments of larger enterprises are invited to attend and share their expectations from joint postgraduate education experiences.

Attendees will be particularly encouraged to explore the possibility of establishing enterprise-led graduate research projects and joint employment-based MSc and PhDs; as well as shorter-term feasibility studies at NUI Galway's laboratories; and research placements for students at industrial sites. The workshop will also provide an opportunity to learn from established collaborations between the University’s research centres and industries, such as Boston Scientific and Complete Laboratory Solutions Ltd. to mention just a few.

Dr Ilaria Nardello, Industry Research Specialist with the College of Science at NUI Galway, said: “Industry-University parnerships in education can create a sustainable and durable mechanism to unlock the innovation potential of the west of Ireland.”

The participation of public agencies, such as the Irish Research Council and the European Commision’s Smart Specialisation Platform, with a stake in the delivery respectively of postgraduate education and regional development, will provide guidance on existing and forthcoming opportunities.

Registration for the event is available at: https://educate-to-innovate.eventbrite.com. For more information: email IRS@nuigalway.ie or call 091 494135. The event will take place in the Aula Maxima at NUI Galway.

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