September 2016 Further Gains for NUI Galway in Prestigious Global Rankings

Continuous improvement for University in both THE and QS rankings

NUI Galway has continued its rise in global ranking as the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings 2016/2017 today confirms the university’s position within the top tier of Irish universities. NUI Galway made a significant leap into the 201-250 range, compared to 351-400 in 2012.

This is the second time within a short period that NUI Galway has continued its upward trajectory in global rankings, with QS world rankings published earlier this month, NUI Galway also saw a climb into the top 250 universities globally.

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings, now in their 13^th year, apply rigorous standards, using global benchmarks across all university’s key missions - teaching, research, knowledge transfer and international outlook. The top 980 list represents 5 per cent of the world’s higher education institutions.

President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, commented: “The success in recent weeks of our advancement in global university rankings reflects the ambition, hard work and creativity of our staff and students. There’s a culture here in Galway that’s focused on making a difference, by empowering our students to go on and do great things as well as an emphasis on areas of research that can have the most impact.

“We have been doing the best we can with limited funding to support activities that are having a real impact globally, by working closely with industry and focusing on collaboration while also advancing the international reach of our university.

“While no ranking system can truly assess the value of a university, we know that rankings are important to our graduates as they progress their careers internationally, as well as raising the profile of NUI Galway on a global stage.”

Phil Baty, Editor of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings said of NUI Galway’s achievements: “In the last number of years, NUI Galway has enjoyed a continued rise in the World University Rankings and this year has made it into the world top 250 as its research has made more of a global impact. The performance of NUI Galway in the context of funding challenges in Ireland is significant, especially as it is set against the backdrop of increased global competition in the sector.”

NUI Galway Highlights of the 2015/2016 academic year:

Research Impact

• In 2015 NUI Galway outperformed other Irish universities by securing the highest amount of funding during the first nine months of the EU’s Horizon 2020 funding programme. Major Horizon 2020 projects include the €4.8 million ROCSAFE project which will develop robotics and intelligent reasoning to gather forensic evidence.
• In May 2016, NUI Galway and the Gate Theatre announced a partnership to digitise the Gates’s archive, a major resource of theatre scholars and artists internationally.
• In June 2016 a team of biomedical researchers at NUI Galway developed synchronised beating heart cells from skin cells, with the aim of tackling inherited cardiac conditions in young people.

 Teaching

• Four NUI Galway Professors were ranked among the ‘World’s Influential Scientific Minds: 2015’ compiled by Thompson Reuters.
• In November 2015, the official incorporation of Shannon College of Hotel Management with NUI Galway was marked.
• A major investment by NUI Galway in clinical training across the West/North West region saw new Medical Academies coming on stream in Mayo, Sligo and Donegal.
• Dr Michel Dugon, Zoology, and Dr Karen Doyle, Physiology, were presented with national Teaching Awards from the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education.

Campus Developments

• In September 2015, An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD officially launched the €25 million HRB Clinical Research Facility and Lambe Institute for Translational Research. Situated on the grounds of University Hospital Galway, the €25 million facility represents the nexus of research and its translation into the clinical setting.
• In November 2015, the Institute for Lifecourse and Society (ILAS) for the applied social sciences was launched. It is the largest of its kind in Europe with 150 staff.

The Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2016-17 is available to view online at: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/ 

 -Ends-

Dul chun cinn déanta arí ag OÉ Gaillimh i Ranguithe Domhanda mór le rá

Feabhas leanúnach déanta ag an Ollscoil i ranguithe THE agus ranguithe QS

Tháinig ardú arís ar sheasamh OÉ Gaillimh i Ranguithe Ollscoile an Domhain de chuid Times Higher Education (THE) 2016/2017. Fógraíodh inniu go bhfuil áit ag an ollscoil ar cheann de na hollscoileanna is fearr sa tír.  Rinne OÉ Gaillimh ardú suntasach go dtí an réimse 201-250, i gcomparáid le 351-400 in 2012.

Is é seo an dara babhta in achar gearr a bhfuil ardú déanta ag OÉ Gaillimh i ranguithe domhanda, ó foilsíodh ranguithe QS níos luaithe an mhí seo, áit a bhfuil seasamh bainte amach ag OÉ Gaillimh sa 250 ollscoil is fearr ar domhan.

Tá Ranguithe Ollscoile an Domhain de chuid Times Higher Education, le 13 bliana anuas, ag cur caighdeáin ghéara i bhfeidhm, ag úsáid tagarmharcanna domhanda do gach croímhisean ollscoile - teagasc, taighde, aistriú eolais agus léargas idirnáisiúnta. Tá 5 faoin gcéad d'institiúidí ardoideachais an domhain ar an liosta den 980 ollscoil is fearr.

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Uachtarán OÉ Gaillimh, An Dr James J. Browne: “Léiríonn an dul chun cinn i ranguithe ollscoileanna an domhain uaillmhian, dúthracht agus cruthaitheacht ár gcomhaltaí foirne agus ár mac léinn. Tá cultúr againn i nGaillimh atá dírithe ar dhifear a dhéanamh trí chur ar chumas na mac léinn éachtaí a bhaint amach agus tá béim ar réimsí taighde a mbíonn an-tionchar acu.

“Táimid ar ár míle dícheall, ar bheagán airgid, ag tacú le gníomhaíochtaí a mbíonn tionchar acu ar fud an domhain, trí oibriú go dlúth le tionscail agus díriú ar chomhoibriú agus ag an am céanna ag cur le cáil idirnáisiúnta na hollscoile. 

 “Cé nach féidir le córas rangaithe ar bith luach ollscoile a mheas, tuigimid go bhfuil ranguithe tábhachtach do na céimithe agus iad ag tabhairt faoi ghairmeacha ar fud an domhain, agus tábhachtach do phróifíl OÉ Gaillimh a mhéadú go hidirnáisiúnta.” 

Bhí an méid seo a leanas le rá ag Phil Baty, Eagarthóir Ranguithe Ollscoileanna an Domhain, faoi éachtaí OÉ Gaillimh:

“Le blianta beaga anuas, tá ardú déanta ag OÉ Gaillimh i Ranguithe Ollscoile an Domhain agus i mbliana d'éirigh leis an ollscoil áit a bhaint amach sa 250 is fearr de bharr tionchar domhanda a taighde. Tá seasamh OÉ Gaillimh ó thaobh dúshláin mhaoinithe in Éirinn suntasach, ó tharla go bhfuil comórtas domhanda ag méadú san earnáil an t-am ar fad.”

Éachtaí OÉ Gaillimh i mbliain acadúil 2015/2016:

Tionchar Taighde

• Sa bhliain 2015, d’éirigh níos fearr le OÉ Gaillimh ná ollscoileanna eile na hÉireann mar gur ghnóthaigh sí an méid is mó maoiniúcháin sna chéad naoi mí de chlár an AE, Deiseanna Nua 2020. I measc na dtograí móra Fís 2020 tá an togra ROCSAFE ar fiú €4.8 milliún é a fhorbróidh róbataic agus réasúnú éirimiúil chun fianaise fhóiréinseach a bhailiú.
• I mí Bealtaine 2016, d’fhógair OÉ Gaillimh agus Amharclann an Gate comhpháirtíocht eatarthu chun cartlann an Gate a dhigitiú, acmhainn ollmhór do scoláirí amharclannaíochta agus d’ealaíontóirí ar fud an domhain.
• I mí an Mheithimh 2016 d'fhorbair foireann taighdeoirí bithleighis in OÉ Gaillimh cealla croí a bhíonn ar aon bhuille ag úsáid gaschealla spreagtha, chun déileáil le riochtaí cairdiacha a bhíonn i ndaoine óga ón mbroinn.

Teagasc

• Ainmníodh ceathrar Ollúna as OÉ Gaillimh i measc 'Intinní Eolaíochta is Tábhachtaí ar Domhan:  2015’ Thompson Reuters.
• I mí na Samhna 2015, rinneadh comóradh ar ionchorprú oifigiúil Choláiste Ósta na Sionna le OÉ Gaillimh.
• Rinne OÉ Gaillimh infheistíocht ollmhór in oiliúint chliniciúil i réigiún an Iarthair/Iarthuaiscirt agus bunaíodh Acadamh nua Leighis i gcaitheamh na bliana i Maigh Eo, i Sligeach agus i nDún na nGall.
• Bhronn an Fóram Náisiúnta um Theagasc agus Foghlaim a Fheabhsú san Ardoideachas Gradaim Náisiúnta Teagaisc ar an Dr Michel Dugon, Roinn na Míoleolaíochta agus ar an Dr Karen Doyle, Roinn na Fiseolaíochta.

Forbairtí ar an gCampas

• I Meán Fómhair 2015, rinne an Taoiseach, Enda Kenny TD Áis Taighde Chliniciúil HRB ar fiú €25 milliún é agus Institiúid Lambe don Taighde Aistritheach a sheoladh go hoifigiúil. Tá an áis suite ar thailte Ospidéal na hOllscoile, Gaillimh, agus ag feidhmiú mar nasc idir taighde agus a chur i bhfeidhm i suíomh cliniciúil.
• I mí na Samhna 2015, seoladh Institiúid Cúrsa Saoil agus Sochaí (ILAS) do na heolaíochtaí sóisialta feidhmeacha. Is í seo an institiúid is mó dá leithéid san Eoraip agus tá 150 duine ag obair inti.

Tá Ranguithe Ollscoile Times Higher Education (THE) 2016-17 le feiceáil ar líne ag: http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/ 

-Críoch-