In 2020, our University community launched our Shared Vision for the future.

Following wide consultation with our students, staff and communities, we have affirmed our core values of:

  • Respect
  • Openness
  • Sustainability
  • Excellence

With these values as our guide, we published a Strategic Plan 2020-2025 with a wide range of ambitious goals and commitments.

Find out more about our Shared Vision, Shaped by Values at www.nuigalway.ie/strategy2025

Our People and Our Story

We believe that our University is a special place. The people, the location and our culture set us apart. Click on the video below to hear from some voices from around campus, and scroll down to get a sense of what makes NUI Galway unique.

Regional, National & International Reach

Inspired by the unique qualities of our region – with its rich culture and traditions, and history of diversity and trade – NUI Galway reaches outwards to the world, through a global network of partnerships, collaborations and alumni, as well as a globally connected faculty.

NUI Galway is firmly committed to investing in the social, economic and intellectual development of the entire region.  Our medical academies and research centres stretch across the Western seaboard of Ireland, and we have recently incorporated Shannon College and St Angela’s College, Sligo into the University.

By building on the strengths of its local communities and resources, the University is emboldened to leave its mark on the global stage and its international reach provides a firm platform for its future development.  

Research Impact

The University has prioritised five cross-disciplinary research themes, building on international success to date. These are:

- Applied Social Sciences and Public Policy
- Biomedical Science and Engineering
- Environment, Marine and Energy
- Humanities in Context, including Digital Humanities
- Informatics, Data Analytics, Physical and Computational Sciences

NUI Galway is increasingly counted among the best in the world in a number of priority areas, in fields as diverse as Drama and Data Analytics, from Human Rights to Medical Devices.

For research to have real impact, collaboration is key.  NUI Galway has embraced a partnership approach with its researchers responding to the needs of the public in collaboration with industry partners and colleagues throughout the world.  

Teaching and Learning

Over the past ten years, NUI Galway’s student population has grown significantly with more than 18,000 students now enrolled at the University. Research-led teaching is being delivered to an increasingly diverse student population and the suite of programmes on offer has evolved to respond to societal, cultural and economic needs.

NUI Galway offers approximately 60 undergraduate degrees and 200 postgraduate programmes across a range of disciplines. Our student body is diverse. Approximately 20% of the undergraduate student body is from a non-traditional background, including mature students, socio-economically disadvantaged students, students with a disability, members of
the travelling community and ethnic minorities. The University is home to students from over 100 countries and is ranked among the Top 200 in the world by Times Higher Education (THE) for its international outlook.

Our Unique Location

The NUI Galway campus is situated in the heart of Galway, and is a vital part of the cultural, social and intellectual life of the city and region. Located on Ireland’s Atlantic coast and beside the Connemara Gaeltacht, Galway is rooted in a rich traditional culture, while also home to a vibrant and diverse community from around the globe. Galway city is the most international place in Ireland with one in five people born outside of Ireland.

The unique combination of a bustling city and a thriving university means that Galway has something to offer everyone.
Galway is a cultural centre and will be European Capital of Culture in 2020. It attracts visitors from all parts of the globe to its many festivals throughout the year, such as the Cúirt International Festival of Literature, the Galway International Arts Festival, the Galway Races and the Oyster Festival. Home to the world-renowned Druid Theatre Company, Galway is steeped in cultural heritage with a vibrant performing arts scene.