Pictured signing the Memorandum of Understanding outlining future collaboration between the two institutions (back row from left): Séamus MacMathúna, Secretary of the University, NUI Galway; John Andy Bonar, Head of Development, LYIT; Jim Ward, Registrar, NUI Galway. (Front Row from left): President James J. Browne, NUI Galway and Paul Hannigan, President of Letterkenny Institute of Technology.

Following three years’ work by staff and management from both institutions, with a view to identifying ways in which their relative strengths could be used for the benefit of the Irish language and the Gaeltacht community, a joint degree programme has emerged.

The programme will meet the increased demand for third level graduates who can function effectively in a bilingual environment.

Organisations, working through the medium of Irish, who are seeking such well qualified bilingual graduates, come from a broad range of sectors including:

• the public sector,
• the Gaeltacht business sector,
• the education sector,
• national and local Irish language organisations,
• community development organisations.

The new BA Riarachán Gno (Business Administration) is a 4-year programme taught through the medium of Irish at NUI Galway's external campus in Gaoth Dobhair, Co. Donegal.

It aims to provide graduates with the practical and analytical skills necessary to work effectively in a business and administration environment in which Irish and English are used.

The programme is provided jointly by staff from LYIT and NUI Galway and is recognized by the Teachers Council for the purposes of teaching Business at Post Primary level.

“I would like to congratulate the Joint Working Group which brought this project to its conclusion,” the President of NUI Galway, Dr James J. Browne, said. 

”I know it is not always easy to overcome the obstacles that emanate from working under different policy regimes and with different structures,” Dr Browne continued.

”However, the Working Group, through their dedication to the project and their ability to work together, has managed to overcome these challenges. I am confident that this project will provide the basis for future collaborative projects between LYIT and NUI Galway in the area of Irish language teaching and research”. 

Paul Hannigan, President of LYIT, commented:

“We are delighted with this collaboration and the exciting programme which, through a combination of academic studies and training, will provide education to graduate level in the main business and administrative disciplines and develop well educated and highly trained young graduates”. (Source: NUI Galway)