Home ▻ Public Sites▻Office of the Vice President for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion▻Staff Networks▻International Staff Network (ISN)▻About us

About us

 

ISN Panel

The University of Galway International Staff Network was developed over the 2019/20 academic year with the intent to provide a clear voice and vision for inclusion and representation at University of Galway, and to help connect and support our international staff cohort. Approximately 20% of the University of Galway staff community is international. This is a significant and diverse group of individuals, who bring with them a global perspective, a variety of cultures, and a diversity of thought and opinion. The ISN hope to engage and focus the energies, strengths, and voice of our international staff members to engage with University of Galway colleagues in the realization of our shared values of respect and openness.

The ISN is open to all staff members who are interested in the aims and objectives of the Network. If you are interested in becoming a member review the membership page, or contact us at ISN@universityofgalway.ie to find out more.

Keep up to date on ISN news and events and follow us on Twitter @NUIGISN 

History

On May 28th, 2019 the first networking meeting for international staff and friends was held. This event included a panel discussion which opened up the challenges and opportunities of internationalisation. Following from this inaugural event, in June 2019 an expression of interest in joining in the development of this network was sent to all staff, with over 70 responding and 23 taking a leadership role in a Development Steering Group.

In July 2019, the Development Steering Group undertook a short survey of those who had expressed interest in the network to determine what staff saw as the main aims of the network. Intercultural awareness and equality of opportunity and resources were clear needs, along with the social supports that a staff network can provide. A sub-group then began working on a constitution to outline the aims and objectives of this new network. In November 2019, the ISN Constitution was approved by member vote and the network was formally constituted. 

By January 2020 members of the Development Steering Group had volunteered for leadership roles in the newly formed Executive Committee. The Executive moved forward with leading the Network toward a formal launch in March 2020. Unfortunately, the launch event of the ISN was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Network was instead launched virtually in May 2020 and within less than a week had over 100 members and growing.