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Courses
Courses
Choosing a course is one of the most important decisions you'll ever make! View our courses and see what our students and lecturers have to say about the courses you are interested in at the links below.
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University Life
University Life
Each year more than 4,000 choose University of Galway as their University of choice. Find out what life at University of Galway is all about here.
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About University of Galway
About University of Galway
Since 1845, University of Galway has been sharing the highest quality teaching and research with Ireland and the world. Find out what makes our University so special – from our distinguished history to the latest news and campus developments.
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Colleges & Schools
Colleges & Schools
University of Galway has earned international recognition as a research-led university with a commitment to top quality teaching across a range of key areas of expertise.
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Research & Innovation
Research & Innovation
University of Galway’s vibrant research community take on some of the most pressing challenges of our times.
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Business & Industry
Guiding Breakthrough Research at University of Galway
We explore and facilitate commercial opportunities for the research community at University of Galway, as well as facilitating industry partnership.
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Alumni & Friends
Alumni & Friends
There are 128,000 University of Galway alumni worldwide. Stay connected to your alumni community! Join our social networks and update your details online.
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Community Engagement
Community Engagement
At University of Galway, we believe that the best learning takes place when you apply what you learn in a real world context. That's why many of our courses include work placements or community projects.
Public and Patient Involvement in Research (PPI)
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Welcome to the PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway
We are a part of the PPI Ignite Network, a national network of University researchers, charities, community organisations and individual patients and members of the public that seek to empower the public and patient voice to be a strong and equal partner in health and social care research.
The PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway is co-lead by Dr. Natalie Walsh and Dr. Ruth Mc Menamin. The PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway team works with researchers and the public and patients to ensure that the voice of the patient shapes and influences our health and social care research, enhancing the quality, relevance and impact of the research. We aim to achieve this by working in collaboration with our Public Advisory Panel, steering committee, research and public communities. Within the Network, working alongside DCU and the HRCI, we are co-leading on Work Package 1, to build PPI capacity nationally across communities. Learn more about the PPI Ignite Network at ppinetwork.ie and sign-up to our newsletter.
The PPI Ignite Network @ University Of Galway is funded by the Health Research Board (HRB) and the Irish Research Council (IRC), with co-funding from the University of Galway.
A Message From Our Site Co-Leads Dr. Ruth McMenamin and Dr. Natalie Walsh
It's our pleasure to welcome you to the PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway. Established in 2018, and now on our second phase of funding by the HRB and Irish Research Council, the PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway works with researchers and the public and patients to ensure that the voice of lived experience influences health and social care research in our University thus enhances its quality, relevance, and impact. We aim to achieve this by working in collaboration with our Public Advisory Panel, steering committee, research and public communities in addition to our Network colleagues.
The PPI Ignite Network @ University of Galway is based in the Institute for Lifecourse and Society. We offer support to meaningfully involve members of the public by delivering training, education and advisory clinics to all looking to begin their PPI journey. We also help to build connections between researchers and members of the public to foster PPI relationships and exchange knowledge and expertise. A key component of our work is our seed-funding initiatives. These initiatives provide funds to cultivate and strengthen relationships with public and patient groups, helping to better incorporate PPI into their research activities.
Excellence & Innovation
The PPI Ignite Network promotes excellence and inspires innovation in public and patient involvement (PPI) in health and social care research in Ireland. Public and patient involvement in research means that the public and patients are involved in planning and doing research from start to finish and help tell the public about the results of research. The Network aims to provide a shared voice for PPI across Ireland, aiming to change the research culture, an important contributor to improving health outcomes for the public. The Network is based at seven Universities in Ireland, with a National Programme Office at NUI Galway. There are ten national partners and fifty three local partners.
Community Engaged Scholars Programme
A new education and training initiative funded by the Health Research Board, the Community Engaged Scholars Programme (CES-P), is happening at University of Galway. The aim of the CES-P is to support the development of partnerships between researchers and community organisations interested in conducting research together that aims to improve the health of their community and that is driven by public and patient involvement (PPI) principles. The purpose of the Community Engaged Scholars Programme is to increase the capacity of community-academic partnership to conduct research, underpinned by principles of PPI, to improve the health of our communities. The CES programme provides formal training and pilot study seed funds for partnerships comprised of a Community Partner and an Academic Partner interested in embedding PPI in their collaborative research.
What is Public and Patient Involvement (PPI)?
Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) means doing research 'with' or 'by' the public instead of 'to,' 'about,' or 'for' them. PPI allows people to help in the research process. For example, they can identify important research topics, ensure study materials are clear and understandable, or help analyze data and be part of a study's oversight group. PPI can also include designing and improving the research plan, helping to find participants, and promoting the results. People can give input at any stage of the research, but it is most effective when they get involved early on.
National PPI Festival
The National PPI Festival is a unique event organised by the PPI Ignite Network to celebrate innovation and progress in Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in Ireland. The festival sees PPI contributors, higher education institutions, research groups, charity and community organisations, and PPI Ignite Network members come together to host events highlighting PPI excellence and training. Last year's festival featured over 60 events hosted across Ireland attended by nearly three thousand individuals.
Building PPI Capacity Across Communities
We are committed to building capacity for involvement across stakeholder groups (disciplines, sectors, communities, public, patients, researchers) through collaborative partnerships and delivery of co-created training. Co-lead by DCU, Health Research Charities Ireland and University of Galway, the primary objectives are to build capacity for meaningful involvement across all stakeholders and to create participatory spaces for co-learning from diverse perspectives.
Seed Funding
The PPI Seed Funding Scheme tested ways of shifting the power balance in PPI contributor/researcher relationships. An investment of €16,000 resulted in an expansion and positive changes to strengthen PPI processes outside of academia. Within a year, the collaboration had exceeded its intended reach and expanded to include people from all across Ireland, demonstrating how small changes in our research processes, like seed funding competitions, can have positive impacts on partnership building.
