University Statements

Our Continuing Support for Ukraine | Ár dTacaíocht Leanúnach don Úcráin - 21/07/22

As you know, University of Galway has established a sub-committee to help those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine and to facilitate them in their studies and research as best we can, as well as providing practical support where necessary.

We understand that many of you are keen to keep abreast of the developing situation and we would like to share with you the latest developments:

• The Ukrainian refugees who were temporarily staying in campus accommodation moved out on the 30th of June, most of whom have remained in the Galway area.
• Regarding the University of Galway appeal, we were delighted by the wonderful response from staff and are very grateful to all of you who donated time, donated goods and offered services. We matched most donations to those that requested support and we very much appreciate all offers of support, in particular the bicycles, food and toiletries were very well received. 
• For those who wish to continue offering support, donations can be made to the Westside Community Centre until mid-August. There will then be a new location for donations from that time onwards. 
• UMT have approved the signing of a memorandum of agreement with the Ukrainian Global University (UGU).  This partnership is symbolic of our desire to join efforts to help rebuild Ukraine and support students and scholars during this time of unrest.  Working with the UGU will provide a foundation for us to provide scholarships, fellowships and programmes of study.
• The National Student and Researcher (NSR) Helpdesk is now up and running in Maynooth and we are working closely with the helpdesk to review and process the applications for study that we have received from Ukrainian refugees.  Please note: the NSR Application Helpdesk closing date for Ukraine refugees to apply to study in Higher Education here in Ireland is 2 August 2022. The closing date for providing/uploading documents to support applications is 8 August 2022.
• You can also read the Minister of DFHERIS Simon Harris TD’s statement on new measures to provide access to further and higher education for displaced Ukrainian students here.

As you will be aware there is a growing accommodation crisis for Ukrainian refugees in the country and the Irish Red Cross is working closely with the Irish Government to match people who have accommodation to offer, with refugees who have come to Ireland.  However, there is a desperate need for more and you can pledge accommodation on the Irish Red Cross website. 

Kind regards,

Professor Becky Whay

Vice President International, NUI Galway 

Ukrainian Refugee Appeal | Achainí do Dhídeanaithe ón Úcráin - 30/05/2022

Dear Colleagues,

As you may know we currently have over 100 Ukrainian refugees in short-term campus accommodation.

We have opened a special online portal that will allow staff to donate household items, their own time, or a skill they might have, to the Ukrainian refugee community.  A short explanatory video of the process is available here.

If you wish to make a contribution, please log-in with your staff ID and password, click 'Ukrainian Appeal' and enter the details of your donation. A fellow staff member will be in touch with you to follow-up and ensure your donation is allocated.  There is currently a list of goods in need available in the drop-down menu.

If you would like to make a financial contribution to support the NUI Galway Ukraine Crisis Support Fund, please donate.

You can watch the launch of last week’s Ukrainian Refugee Appeal here.

Every donation is greatly appreciated.

Kind regards,

Professor Becky Whay

Vice President International, NUI Galway

Supporting Ukraine: staff event | Tacaíocht don Úcráin: ócáid foirne - 17/05/2022

3.00pm, 18/5/2022
Registration | Clárú

You are warmly invited to join NUI Galway’s ‘Supporting Ukraine’ event on Wednesday 18^th May at 3.00pm in the Human Biology Building Large Lecture Theatre (G019), South Campus. (Number 11 on this map).

You will have a chance to hear from a range of colleagues:

University President, Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, and Vice-President: International, Professor Becky Whay, will update colleagues on how and why we are supporting Ukrainian students and scholars sheltering here in Galway.

Professor Antony Wheatley (School of Medicine) will share his experience of hosting a Ukrainian family in his home, and he will give practical tips on how to prepare for house sharing.

Vice-President: Engagement, Dr Paul Dodd, will launch a Ukraine Charity Appeal and speak about how the proceeds will enhance the university’s financial support for Ukrainian refugees.

Lorraine Tansey (Community Knowledge Initiative) will demonstrate how staff can register their offers of goods, services and time to support Ukrainian refugees in our community.

Dr Lindsay Myers (School of Languages, Literatures and Cultures) will speak about a creative project to help break down cultural barriers between Ukrainian and Irish school children.

Finally, we will premiere a very special recording by the NUI Galway Staff Singers in solidarity with Ukraine.

Please join us on Wednesday to affirm our hope and commitment to a strong, peaceful and free future for Ukraine.

Click here to register on Eventbrite

Kind regards,

Becky

Professor Becky Whay

Vice President International, NUI Galway

Supporting Ukraine: staff event | Tacaíocht don Úcráin: ócáid foirne

We come together to affirm our hope and commitment to a strong, peaceful and free future for Ukraine.

You are warmly invited to join NUI Galway’s ‘Supporting Ukraine’ event on Wednesday 18^th May at 3.00pm in the Human Biology Building Large Lecture Theatre (G019), South Campus. (Number 11 on this map).

In coordinating our University’s response to the horrifying and heart-breaking events that are unfolding in Ukraine, I have been overwhelmed by the generous and creative ways so many of you have sought to assist in helping the people of Ukraine.

This event is an opportunity for us to come together to re-affirm our solidarity with Ukraine and our condemnation of the actions of Russia and its government.

We will be launching our University fundraising appeal to support Ukraine and an online portal through which you can register offers of time, resources and services that you would like to make available to our city and region as they strive to welcome and accommodate refugees from Ukraine within our community.

We will hear from a colleague who is currently hosting a Ukrainian family, as well as the premier of our NUI Galway Staff Singers’ song for Ukraine.

To quote the words of Anne Michaels who spoke at an inspirational webinar hosted by the Whitaker Institute and the J.E Cairne’s School of Business & Economics which looked at the economic reconstruction of Ukraine:

‘Nothing enrages a tyrant more than hope.’

Please join us on Wednesday 18th to affirm our hope and commitment to a strong, peaceful and free future for Ukraine.

Click here to register on Eventbrite

Professor Becky Whay, VP International 

NUI Galway statement | Ráiteas OÉ Gaillimh - 03/05/2022

NUI Galway welcomes the establishment of a National Steering Group for Education and the opening of a helpdesk to support scholars, students and researchers who have fled from Ukraine to Ireland. 

Our University is working to help those fleeing the invasion and facilitate them in their studies and research as best we can, as well as providing practical support where necessary.

The Ukraine refugee crisis is unprecedented in modern Europe and staff from across NUI Galway will continue to work both internally and with colleagues across the sector and Government to deepen our response and support.

We stand with Ukraine.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3bc36-central-heldpdesk-for-ukrainian-people-seeking-access-to-third-level-education-announced-by-minister-harris/   

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Cuireann OÉ Gaillimh fáilte roimh bhunú Coiste Stiúrtha Náisiúnta Oideachais agus roimh dheasc chabhrach nua chun tacú le scoláirí, le mic léinn agus le taighdeoirí a d’éalaigh ón Úcráin go hÉirinn.

Tá ár nOllscoil ag obair chun cabhrú leo siúd atá ag teitheadh ón ionradh agus déanaimid ár ndícheall cuidiú leo ina gcuid staidéir agus ina dtaighde, chomh maith le tacaíocht phraiticiúil a sholáthar nuair is gá.

Ní fhacthas leithéid ghéarchéim na ndídeanaithe Úcránacha san Eoraip chomhaimseratha agus leanfaidh foireann OÉ Gaillimh ag obair go hinmheánach agus le comhghleacaithe ar fud na hearnála agus an Rialtais ag cur lenár n-iarrachtaí agus ár dtacaíocht.

Táimid ag seasamh leis an Úcráin.

https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/3bc36-central-heldpdesk-for-ukrainian-people-seeking-access-to-third-level-education-announced-by-minister-harris/   

Update on Ukraine Response | An tEolas is Déanaí maidir leis an Úcráin - 20/04/2022

Like so many others, our university community has watched in horror as the Russian invasion has brought senseless violence and aggression to Ukraine and we all feel a strong urge to find ways to show our support for the people of the region. As the events have unfolded, countless lives in Ukraine are being torn apart with indiscriminate killings, displacement, trauma, and separation from loved ones. 

If you have an offer of support for students, scholars, or academic staff coming from Ukraine please get in touch with ukrainesupport@nuigalway.ie, where we are collating this information.  You can also visit our dedicated Ukraine webpage which is being updated on a regular basis.

As a University of Sanctuary, NUI Galway welcomes the establishment of the National Steering Committee for Education to help Ukrainian scholars, students and researchers who have fled to Ireland, as announced yesterday by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris T.D.

In line with our commitment to accessibility, inclusivity and engaging openly with the world as laid out in the NUI Galway Strategy, our new Ukrainian UMT sub-group have agreed on a number of measures to help scholars and students fleeing from the conflict.

Minister Harris has confirmed that a National Student & Researcher Helpdesk is being established by the Department FHERIS on behalf of the higher education sector. We are pleased to work with Maynooth University which will host the centralised helpdesk and one-stop-shop  for all incoming refugees, students and researchers.

The helpdesk will offer the following supports:

• Provide initial advice on nature of documents required for transfer
• Initial check on adequacy of documents
• Refer students and researchers as appropriate to the most appropriate higher education institution;
• Provide consistency of approach across HEIs
• Follow up with students and researchers as needed. 

The helpdesk will take a few weeks to get up and running. In the meantime, we have three online forms available on our website for those Ukrainian scholars, students and researchers who want to register interest in NUI Galway. We will then be able to guide and support them through the next steps once the help desk is opened. 

It is important to acknowledge that the Ukrainian exodus is unprecedented in recent European history and that the Ukrainian sub-group has been convened as quickly as possible to react to this situation, to provide practical support where necessary. We are continuing to liaise with the Department directly and through the Irish Universities Association.  

Many of us are keen to help financially and we are in the process of organising a fundraising event in the University and will keep you informed as soon we have more information. In the meantime, please consider contributing to any of the charities directly below: 

• Concern Worldwide 
• Unicef 
• Red Cross (Ireland) 
• Red Cross (Ukraine) 

A quick reminder that The Whitaker Institute & the J.E. Cairnes School of Business and Economics at NUI Galway is honoured to host an online event on Reconstructing the Economy of Ukraine at 6.00 p.m. on Tuesday, 26 April.  To register for the event please click here.

Kind regards,

Becky

 

Professor Becky Whay

Vice President International

NUI Galway

Support for Ukraine | Tacaíocht don Úcráin - 30/03/2022

In concert with universities across Europe we have already articulated our condemnation of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine by Russia. We are fully aligned with the European Union sanctions on Russia and Belarus and with the interpretation of those sanctions by the Irish Government. 

In these circumstances no academic or research collaboration of any sort with Russian universities and research institutions is possible. This includes all elements of research roles including co-authorship, reviewing, membership of editorial and other boards, the provision of references. All existing collaborative research projects have been halted and no further projects will be undertaken  

We recognise that many people in Russia and Belarus are under immense pressure to align with the position of their respective governments and may not be doing so through choice.  However, until the invasion has ended and peace is restored, researchers and scholars in Russia and Belarus are now isolated and cannot participate in the international research community. While we can no longer work with entities or individuals in Russia and Belarus we remain enthusiastically committed to research collaboration across all other boundaries, regardless of nationality.

We fully appreciate that imposing these restrictions will have an impact on individual staff and students within NUI Galway, however, we see no other options in these circumstance

You may have questions about particular issues that arise. If so can you please send the query to ukrainesupport@nuigalway.ie and we will answer within two working days.

Further information and updates are available at https://www.nuigalway.ie/ukraine/

Support for Ukraine | Tacaíocht don Úcráin - 24/03/2022

Dear colleagues and students,

As you may know, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky’s has made an impassioned plea for citizens worldwide to show support for his country one month on from Russia’s violent invasion.

In his address President Zelensky asks that we all come from our offices, our homes, our schools and our universities to demonstrate that “Freedom matters.  Peace matters.  Ukraine matters.”  

As you know the Quadrangle is currently being lit in the colours of the Ukrainian flag and we are proposing a demonstration of solidarity with the Ukrainian people there today 24 March at 4.45 p.m.  If you wish to show your solidarity, I invite you to come with a token of peace or the Ukrainian colours. 

Kind regards, 

Becky Whay 

Vice President International, NUI Galway 

Statement of Support for Ukrainian Students | Ráiteas Tacaíochta do Mhic Léinn ón Úcráin - 14/03/2022

Dear colleagues,

As you know, we at NUI Galway have expressed our outrage at the Russian invasion of Ukraine and for us, this violence is as abhorrent, as it is confusing and frightening. Although we cannot conceive of what the Ukrainian people are facing all of the University community are determined to do what we can to help.

In light of this, NUI Galway have convened a team dedicated to supporting Ukrainian students and scholars in these extremely challenging times, and following their first meeting on Friday it was decided to implement the following measures:

·           To the greatest extent possible, we will support and accommodate Ukrainians in third level education who find themselves in a position where they have to flee their country.

·           Students will be facilitated to continue, or to commence their studies at NUI Galway.

·           Ukrainian students will be treated as Irish Students in terms of their eligibility for grants and fees and we will be looking at how we can best offer scholarships to support these students.

·           The International Student Hardship Fund will be available to our current and future students as needed.

·           Pastoral care and counselling supports will be offered as an essential part of our response.

·           Research engagements and collaboration with Russia and Belarus will be cancelled, consistent with all EU sanctions in this regard.

NUI Galway is a university for the public good and we are determined to support Ukrainian students and scholars with the greatest level of flexibility and sensitivity. We are in the process of creating a webpage with more information on this and will keep you updated with any new initiatives as soon as we can.

In the meantime, for those who want to register and offer accommodation to Ukrainian refugees who arrive in Ireland, you can do so here.

This is an extremely distressing time for all of us and I encourage the university community to support one another, as we look to the future with hope for peace.

Kind regards,

Ciarán

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, President NUI Galway

Statement of Support for Ukraine | Ráiteas Tacaíochta don Úcráin - 01/03/2022 

As a University community, we are deeply shocked and outraged by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and condemn this unprovoked violence in the strongest possible terms. These actions are an assault on democracy and on the values of freedom, autonomy and respect that we all hold dear. We will continue to work with our colleagues here in Ireland and across Eastern Europe to offer our support to those affected.

As some of you may have noticed, the Quadrangle is being lit up in the colours of the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with its people. We will continue to do this until hostilities cease. In the coming days and weeks, we will do whatever we can to support those affected and can only wish for the best in these very dark times.

NUI Galway is currently providing support to members of the University community who may be impacted by the crisis. We are mindful of the financial hardship caused by this crisis, particularly to international students and the International Student Hardship fund will be available to support them where needed. Please find information on International Student support here and staff wellbeing here.

We welcome the Irish government’s decision on the immediate lifting of visa requirements for Ukrainian citizens and in addition to this, we will open up our University of Sanctuary scholarships for Ukrainian refugees.

The Ukrainian poet, Iya Kiva writes in one of her Three Poems in 2014:

to hold a needle of silence in your mouth
to stitch your words in white thread
to whimper while drowning in spit
to keep from screaming spitting blood
to hold the water of a language on your tongue
which leaks like a rusty bucket
to mend things that are still useful
to sew crosses on the really weak spots
like bandages on the wounded in a hospital
to learn to search for the roots of a life
that has yet to learn its name.

We recognise that this is a frightening and uncertain time for all of us and I would ask, that as you always do, you continue to look out for each other and offer kindness to everyone, to mend things that are still useful, to learn to search for the roots of a life.

Ciarán

Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh

President NUI Galway