November 2015 Minister for Education marks first merger in Ireland as Shannon College of Hotel Management becomes part of NUI Galway

Move will strengthen educational and research capabilities as well as enhance international exposure

Minster for Education and Skills, Jan O’Sullivan T.D., will today (Monday, 9 November) mark the official incorporation of Shannon College of Hotel Management into NUI Galway.

The merger, as detailed in the HEA’s 2013 report to the Minister for Education and Skills on system reconfiguration, is the first of its kind in Ireland. As one of the world’s most prestigious hotel management colleges, Shannon College will also officially become the first such college dedicated to hotel management in an Irish university.

The vision for the merger is to sustain and develop educational excellence in the in both institutions institutions, and through greater integration ensure that resources are put to best use to meet the challenges of research, education and learning in the student-centred higher education landscape.

Minister for Education and Skills Jan O’Sullivan said. “Shannon College of Hotel Management’s international standing and track-record of success is almost unrivalled for a college of its size, with its alumni as leaders in the hospitality industry globally. The incorporation into NUI Galway illustrates the benefits of greater cohesion across the third level sector nationally and in providing a greater return from available resources and I congratulate both on this and wish them every success going forward.”

As part of the College of Business, Public Policy and Law at NUI Galway, all academic and administrative systems have been aligned across what has become the same institution on two locations. Shannon College of Hotel Management programmes have been aligned with existing NUI Galway programmes and it is intended that further courses both taught and research, particularly at postgraduate level will be offered. The institutions will also work together on promoting their courses and research internationally.

The integration will mean that, for the first time an Irish university will have a school devoted to the tourism sector. This is appropriate given the importance and scale of the tourism sector both nationally and particularly in the West of Ireland. Already NUI Galway and Shannon College have, together, secured research funding from Fáilte Ireland to examine the economic impact of the Wild Atlantic Way.

In 2014, Shannon College of Hotel Management welcomed 42% of all students entering Level 8 hotel, tourism and hospitality programmes in Ireland. The College maintains a remarkable record of 100% graduate employment, including some leading figures in the industry across the globe at the Jumeriah Group, Dubai; Waldorf Astoria, New York; Trump Towers, Chicago; The Dorchester and The Ritz, London; and The Shelbourne, Dublin.

NUI Galway President, Dr Jim Browne said, “This is a very positive moment for all concerned. NUI Galway has developed a very close relationship with Shannon College over the years and its integration into NUI Galway will be seamless and respect the rich heritage and international reputation of this great institution.

Shannon College of Hotel Management is recognised as one of the leading hotel management colleges in the world and has an unrivalled record of achieving 100% graduate employment, with many graduates going straight to some of the top hotels in the world. This move will deliver mutual benefits from an educational and research perspective to the College and University and will deepen our relationship with the Shannon region.”

The internationally renowned college was the brainchild of the father figure of Shannon Airport, Dr. Brendan O’Regan. It was established in 1951, next to the airport, to ensure a ready supply of world-class hoteliers was available for the emerging hotel industry as it seized on the tourism opportunity triggered by the growth then of transatlantic and other international services into Shannon.

The finalisation of the move to NUI Galway cements a 20-year relationship between the two institutions. Most notably, Shannon College has offered for many years a BComm degree specialising in hotel management in collaboration with NUI Galway, whereby students undertake the first three years of study in Shannon before transferring to NUI Galway for the final academic year of study. Before the recent amalgamation with NUI Galway, Shannon College was a Recognised College of the National University of Ireland (NUI), making it the only institution in Ireland offering degrees in hotel management awarded by the NUI.

Phillip Smyth added “The amalgamation is an important milestone for the staff, alumni and all our partners who have developed Shannon College as a centre of excellence. Having a university campus located at Shannon International Airport presents many opportunities for new educational and research projects to be developed in the region.”

Having flourished over the last 64 years under the auspices of Shannon Airport, the amalgamation now firmly places Shannon College in the mainstream university. The incorporation will significantly enhance the student experience with access to a suite of university services and resources that were not possible to offer as a small institution. The new status will also give Shannon College a new platform to expand its range of programmes and improve its research capabilities. The global standing of NUI Galway will also boost Shannon College’s already strong international presence by improving access and exposure in new overseas markets.

Congratulating the College on its transition to NUI Galway, Shannon Group Chairperson, Rose Hynes said the College had not alone delivered on Dr O’Regan’s hopes for it but went way beyond them. “It’s no exaggeration to say that the Shannon College of Hotel Management has from its very foundation been a world leader when it comes to training hoteliers and hotel managers. The very fact that some of the world’s leading hotels travel to Shannon each year to recruit students from the college speaks volumes about its success.

It has been a brilliant bearer of the Shannon name throughout those years and we are delighted that the College will remain on the airport campus. This transition also deepens our relationship with the Galway region.”

http://www.shannoncollege.com/

Ends

Déanann an tAire Oideachais ceiliúradh ar Choláiste Ósta na Sionna as a bheith ina pháirt de OÉ Gaillimh; an chéad chónascadh dá leithéid in Éirinn  

Láidreoidh an t-aistriú cumais oideachais agus taighde agus cuirfidh sé go mór le poiblíocht idirnáisiúnta

Inniu (Dé Luain, 9 Samhain), déanann an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Jan O’Sullivan T.D., ceiliúradh ar ionchorprú oifigiúil Choláiste Ósta na Sionna isteach in OÉ Gaillimh.

Déantar cur síos ar an gcónascadh seo i dtuairisc 2013 an HEA go dtí an tAire Oideachais agus Scileanna maidir le hathchumrú córas, agus tá sé ar an gcéad chónascadh dá leithéid in Éirinn.  Tá Coláiste na Sionna ar cheann de na coláistí bainistíochta óstáin is iomráití ar domhan, agus tá sé anois ar an gcéad choláiste dá leithéid a bheidh tiomanta do bhainistíocht óstáin in ollscoil Éireannach.

Is í an fhís atá taobh thiar den chónascadh sárchaighdeán oideachais a chothú agus a fhorbairt sa dá institiúid, agus a chinntiú, trí chomhtháthú níos fearr, go mbaintear an leas is fearr as acmhainní chun freastal ar dhúshláin taighde, oideachais agus foghlama i suíomh ardoideachais mac léinn-lárnach.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag an Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna, Jan O’Sullivan:  “Is deacair seasamh agus cáil Choláiste Ósta na Sionna do choláiste dá mhéid a shárú, agus a chuid alumni ina gceannródaithe i dtionscal an fháilteachais ar fud an domhain. Léiríonn an t-ionchorprú isteach in OÉ Gaillimh na buntáistí a bhaineann le comhtháthú níos mó ar fud na hearnála tríú leibhéal go náisiúnta agus le tairbhe níos mó a bhaint as na hacmhainní atá ar fáil agus tréaslaím leis an dá dhream ar an ócáid seo agus guím gach rath orthu sna blianta amach romhainn.”

Mar chuid de Choláiste an Ghnó, an Bheartais Phoiblí agus an Dlí in OÉ Gaillimh, tá ailíniú déanta ar gach córas acadúil agus riaracháin chun freastal ar an institiúid chéanna in dhá ionad ar leith. Tá cláir Choláiste Ósta na Sionna ailínithe le cláir reatha OÉ Gaillimh agus táthar ag súil go dtairgfear tuilleadh cúrsaí acadúla agus taighde, go háirithe ag leibhéal iarchéime. Oibreoidh na hinstitiúidí as lámha a chéile chomh maith chun a gcuid cúrsaí agus taighde a chur chun cinn go hidirnáisiúnta.  

Den chéad uair riamh, mar thoradh ar an gcónascadh, beidh scoil atá dírithe go hiomlán ar an earnáil turasóireachta mar chuid d’ollscoil Éireannach. Tá sé seo ábhartha nuair a smaoinítear ar thábhacht agus ar scála na hearnála turasóireachta go náisiúnta agus go háirithe in Iarthar na hÉireann. Tá maoiniú taighde faighte cheana féin ag OÉ Gaillimh agus ag Coláiste na Sionna ón eagraíocht Fáilte Éireann chun scrúdú a dhéanamh ar thionchar eacnamaíoch Shlí an Atlantaigh Fhiáin.

Sa bhliain 2014, is chuig Coláiste Ósta na Sionna a chuaigh 42% de gach mac léinn a thosaigh ar chláir óstáin, turasóireachta agus fáilteachais ag leibhéal 8 in Éirinn.  Tá cáil thar na bearta ar an gColáiste maidir le fostaíocht céimithe 100%, lena n-áirítear daoine mór le rá sa tionscal ar fud an domhain sa Jumeriah Group, Dubai; Waldorf Astoria, Nua-Eabhrac; Trump Towers, Chicago; an Dorchester agus an Ritz, Londain; agus an Shelbourne, Baile Átha Cliath.

Dúirt Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, an Dr Jim Browne, “Is tráth thar a bheith dearfach é seo do gach duine atá i gceist.  Tá caidreamh an-dlúth forbartha ag OÉ Gaillimh le Coláiste na Sionna thar na blianta agus déanfar an cónascadh le OÉ Gaillimh gan stró ar bith agus tabharfar ómós d’oidhreacht shaibhir agus do cháil idirnáisiúnta na hinstitiúide seo. 

Tá Coláiste Ósta na Sionna aitheanta ar cheann de na coláistí bainistíochta óstáin is fearr ar domhan agus tá cáil gan sárú ar an gcoláiste maidir le fostaíocht céimithe 100% a bhaint amach, agus téann go leor de na céimithe díreach ar aghaidh go dtí cuid de na hóstáin is fearr ar domhan.  Beidh sochair ag baint leis an mbeart seo ó pheirspictíocht oideachais agus taighde don Choláiste agus don Ollscoil agus daingneoidh sé an caidreamh atá againn cheana féin le réigiún na Sionainne.”

Ba é an Dr Brendan O’Regan, fear a raibh an-bhaint aige le hAerfort na Sionainne le blianta fada, a bhunaigh an coláiste a bhfuil cáil dhomhanda air. Bunaíodh an coláiste sa bhliain 1951, in aice an aerfoirt, le cinntiú go raibh lucht óstáin den scoth ar fáil do thionscal na n-óstán a bhí ag dul i méid agus gur thapaigh siad na deiseanna turasóireachta a bhí ag teacht chun cinn de thoradh fhorbairt na seirbhísí trasatlantacha agus seirbhísí idirnáisiúnta eile isteach go dtí an tSionainn.

Is comóradh é an t-ionchorpú le OÉ Gaillimh ar chaidreamh 20 bliain idir an dá institiúid. Le roinnt mhaith blianta tá céim B Comm a dhíríonn ar bhainistíocht óstáin curtha ar fáil ag Coláiste na Sionna i gcomhar le OÉ Gaillimh, áit a dtugann mic léinn faoi na chéad trí bliana staidéar sa tSionainn agus ansin déanann siad an bhliain deiridh staidéar acadúil in OÉ Gaillimh. Sula ndearnadh ionchorpú ar Choláiste na Sionna le OÉ Gaillimh, ba Choláiste Aitheanta de chuid Ollscoil na hÉireann (OÉ) a bhí ann, agus é ar an t-aon institiúid in Éirinn a bhí ag tairiscint céimeanna sa bhainistíocht óstáin bronnta ag OÉ.

Dúirt Phillip Smyth “Is cor cinniúnach é seo don fhoireann, don alumni agus dár gcuid comhpháirtithe ar fad a bhfuil Coláiste na Sionna forbartha acu mar lárionad barr feabhais. Is iomaí buntáiste a bhaineann le campas ollscoile a bheith lonnaithe in Aerfort Idirnáisiúnta na Sionainne maidir le tionscadail nua oideachais agus taighde is féidir a fhorbairt sa réigiún.”

Bhí rath ar Choláiste na Sionna le 64 bliain anuas faoi scáth Aerfort na Sionainne, agus leis an aistriú seo beidh sé ina chuid d’ollscoil phríomhshrutha. Cuirfidh an t-ionchorprú go mór le heispéireas na mac léinn mar go mbeidh teacht acu anois ar réimse seirbhísí agus acmhainní ollscoile nárbh fhéidir a chur ar fáil mar institiúid bheag. Tabharfaidh an stádas nua ardán nua do Choláiste na Sionna chun a réimse clár a leathnú agus a chumais taighde a fheabhsú. Cuirfidh seasamh domhanda OÉ Gaillimh borradh chomh maith faoi láithreacht idirnáisiúnta Choláiste na Sionna, atá láidir cheana féin, trí rochtain agus poiblíocht a fheabhsú i margaí nua thar lear.  

Thréaslaigh Rose Hynes, Cathaoirleach Ghrúpa na Sionainne leis an gColáiste ar an aistriú isteach le OÉ Gaillimh agus dúirt sí nach amháin go raibh mianta an Dr O’Regan curtha i gcrích ach go raibh i bhfad níos mó ná sin déanta. “Ní háibhéil ar bith é a rá go bhfuil Coláiste Ósta na Sionna ó thráth a bhunaithe ina cheannaire domhanda ó thaobh oiliúint a chur ar óstánaithe agus ar bhainisteoirí óstáin.  Is cruthúnas ann féin an chaoi a dtagann cuid de na hóstáin is fearr ar domhan go dtí an tSionainn gach bliain ag earcú mac léinn ón gcoláiste chomh rathúil is atá sé. 

Is mór an onóir é d’ainm na Sionainne sna blianta atá caite agus táimid thar a bheith ríméadach go bhfanfaidh an Coláiste ar champas an aerfoirt.  Láidríonn an t-aistriú seo ár gcaidreamh le réigiún na Gaillimhe chomh maith.”

Críoch