Galway is a University city with a highly-educated and creative workforce. It is home to the National University of Ireland, Galway and the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, as well as numerous further education resources such as the Galway Technical Institute and the Galway Roscommon Education Training Board.
Third level education in Ireland is optional and consists of Universities, Institutes of Technology and Colleges of Education which allow you to earn a degree or partake in training in a certain area of interest to you, just like any other country.
There are third level institutions all over Ireland, and you can pursue a career in almost any sector here. Third level education is supported and subsidised by the government. Ireland uses a system called the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) to recognise different levels of qualifications. It has ten different levels ranging from a Certificate right up to a Doctorate. Each of these levels grade all learning from beginner to advanced. It is based on standards of knowledge, skill and competence and it incorporates awards made for all kinds of learning, wherever it is gained.
Galway’s third level institutions and Education and Training Board have established a strong but adaptable infrastructure of life-long learning which encourages active employer and employee involvement in skill acquisition.
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is a multi-campus institute based in five locations in the West of Ireland with a combined student population of 7,000.
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There are two campuses in Galway city, in addition to campuses in Letterfrack, Co. Galway, Mountbellew, Co. Galway, and Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
GMIT offers more than 100 full-time undergraduate courses and a wide and growing range of graduate and professional development programmes, from single modules to Masters and PhDs. Courses have a strong focus on applied learning, teaching and research, reflecting the needs of business, enterprise and the professions in the region.
GMIT is also home to a number of specialised research centres, focusing on Science, Engineering, Business, and Heritage. Emerging areas such as Information and Communication Technologies, Tourism, and Art and Design are opening new avenues for research.
There is a strong focus on innovation in GMIT. GMIT has two Innovation Hubs in the Galway and Mayo campuses which support entrepreneurs as they progress their ideas from concepts to commercial success.
GMIT is currently working with partners IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT towards becoming a Technological University for the west and northwest of Ireland. Click here for more information.
The National University of Ireland Galway is located in the city of Galway in Ireland. A third-level teaching and research institution, the University has been awarded the full five QS stars for excellence, and is ranked among the top 1 percent of universities according to the 2018 QS World University Rankings.
NUI Galway has grown massively in size and reputation over the past 175 years, with a student population today of over 18,000.
The University has had three different names:
Since 2000, the University has invested €400 million in new buildings and facilities across campus. The early 2000s saw the addition of the Cairnes Building, Áras Moyola and the award-winning Engineering Building, all located in the north campus.
In recent years, they have added a new Biomedical Science research centre, the Institute for Lifecourse and Society, the O’Donoghue Centre for Drama, Theatre and Performance and the new Human Biology building.
As the capital development programme draws to a close, they are adding new residences on campus for over 900 students, as well as developing the Quadrangle – their very first building – into a centre for public and civic engagement.