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National Partnerships

National Partners

Campus Engage

Campus Engage is a platform for the promotion of civic engagement activities in Irish higher education. It is an initiative funded by the Irish government, through the Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Campus Engage partners include all institutes of higher education in Ireland. The platform aims to strengthen the relationship between higher education and the wider society, through the promotion of civic engagement activities in higher education in Ireland and facilitating the sharing of knowledge and resources between academic and civic communities.

This platform dovetails with the recent national policy for higher education, namely the National Review of Higher Education to 2030. The National Review document endorses the renewal of the civic mission of higher education and asserts that ‘engaging with the wider society' is ‘one of the three interconnected core roles of higher education' (2011, p77).

It supports the ongoing development of activities such as: service learning/community based learning, student volunteering, community engaged research and knowledge exchange and sharing, in order to increase the number of courses, activities and levels of participation in these areas across Irish higher education.

Campus Engage is hosted by the Irish University Association (IUA), supported by University of Galway through the CKI and Dublin City University in partnership with all institutes of higher education in Ireland through Steering Committee Representation and Working Groups.

Campus Engage

In 2007 the CKI in partnership with three universities in Ireland attained funding from the Irish government, through the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to promote civic engagement within Irish higher educaiotn.  This funding led to the development of Campus Engage.  Campus Engage was hosted by University of Galway but in 2013, it was mainstreamed as a national project and is hosted by the Irish University Association (IUA).  

Carnegie Community Engagement Pilot Project in Ireland

 

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Understanding the National and Cultural Contexts for Assessing University Engagement 

The Carnegie Community Engagement Classification Framework emerged in the US in the early 2000s is currently available to higher education institutions in the United States. The participating higher education institutions elect to use the Framework to capture data and progress related to community engagement in a process of self-assessment. The data is then submitted to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning that goes onto classify institutions that have reached a certain benchmark in terms of their engagement with community.  Read more about Carnegie Ireland‌

Comhlamh 

University of Galway is a Supporter Signatory to the Comhlamh Charter for Good Practice in International Volunteering. This means we encourage students to connect with ethical overseas programmes that adhere to the national standards. 
 

Gaisce

University of Galway is committed to the Gaisce award as Ireland’s national medal from the President of Ireland to young people committed to personal and civic development. University of Galway has  

  • President’s Award leaders (PALs)

  • Hundreds of students participating in the award and alumni of the award programme  
  • The Gaisce Wavelength programme in place with the University of Sanctuary 
  • Hosted the Gaisce ceremonies for Bronze and Silver 
  • Legacy of Gaisce Society with student leaders championing the award 
  • Supported local school Gaisce groups 

Global Citizens Award 

University of Galway is a member of the Global Citizens Award and support students and staff that have an international experience to reflect on that experience and join the GCA programme to develop their skills on interculturalism, and development education.   

Greensod Ireland

Green Sod Ireland (GSI) is committed to protecting the ecological biodiversity of nature and land in Ireland. Among its awareness-raising initiatives about the importance of biodiversity are its ecological education programmes across first, second and adult education sectors, one element of which is its association with the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan for bees. Through its Wild Acres project it works closely with local communities in the preservation of biodiverse eco-systems in a number of pieces of land gifted to GSI for the purpose of the protection of biodiversity in these sites. Through student placements with GSI, students at University of Galway have the opportunity for valuable experiential learning opportunities. Student Societies involved in environmental and ecological issues benefit from advice and support provided by the organisation. Reciprocally the university is pleased to facilitate access to GSI to spaces in the university for public talks and other events and to introduce the organisation to members of staff working in areas relevant to its work. 

University of Sanctuary Ireland (UoSI)  

University of Sanctuary Ireland (UoSI) is an Irish initiative to encourate and celebtrate the good practices of universities, colleges and other education institutes welcoming refugees, asylum seekers and other migrants into their university communities and fostering a culture of welcome and inclusion for all those seeking sanctuary.  The UoSI want to spread this culture of welcome across the institutions of higher education all over the island.  University of Galway was designated a University of Sanctuary in 2018, and coordinator Aidan Harte represents University of Galway on the national UoSI committee.