The University of Galway has set out its five-year blueprint for development – with a renewed focus on being a research-intensive globally connected higher education institution.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless unveiled the University of Galway’s Strategic Plan 2025-2030 – entitled Of Galway, For the World – which will see the institution invest in new systems and spaces to better support teaching and research excellence.

Among those are the construction of the new Library and Learning Commons in the centre of the campus and the development of a new Student Success Centre that will engage students in new ways of learning and support their progression, success, health and wellbeing throughout their university journey.

The Strategic Plan 2025-2030 will focus on the University’s core mission to nurture talent and generate knowledge for the world.

This mission will be guided by the University’s existing values of Excellence, Respect, Openness, Sustainability, and Belonging – a new value which students asked for.

The document sets out areas of strategic priorities – Distinctive Research Impact; Education for the Future; and Effective and Sustainable Organisation that Empowers our People.

The Strategic Plan identifies four research pillars in which University of Galway will make a distinctive impact in the years ahead: Innovation for Health; Creativity, Culture & Society; Sustainable & Resilient Environments: Earth & Ocean; and Decisive Data & Transformative AI.

Further initiatives include a Future Talent Programme that will invest to attract new talent in research, teaching and professional services to Galway, develop current staff, and grow a PhD cohort through targeted programmes.

It also includes the new Research Process Improvement Project – a multi-faceted programme that improves the research journey and experience to maximise impact.

And it revealed an ambitious Technology-Enablement Programme – a significant investment in Information and communication technology (ICT) operating models and the successful delivery of digital infrastructure projects, which will be critical to the University’s success in the coming years.

The Strategic Plan was launched at a special event on campus with Minister Lawless where innovative and impactful research was showcased.

Minister Lawless described the plan was the foundation for ‘an exciting time’.

“There are many new developments and the sense of ambition and innovation on campus is tangible,” he said.

“University of Galway has a proven track record of embedding creativity and excellence in providing a diverse range of programmes and putting the student experience at the centre of teaching and learning. The new Strategic Plan is the next step on that journey.”

Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile, Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said they were excited to share the outcome of this work and look forward to the next chapter of the University’s strategic journey.

Pictured at the launch of University of Galway’s Strategic Plan were (from left) Deputy John Connolly, FF Spokesperson on Further and Higher Education; Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless; Professor Peter McHugh, Interim President of University of Galway, and Dr Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, Chair of Údarás na hOllscoile.