Ollscoil na Gaillimhe - University of Galway
PA-3: Inclusive and Participatory Governance

The three pillars of the organisational structure of NUI Galway are:
1) Údarás na hOllscoile
2) Academic Council
3) University Management Team

Of these Údarás na hOllscoile is the University's governing authority, and is responsible for managing and controlling all of the affairs of the University. It contains academic and non-academic staff, students union officers, students and former students. There is a postgraduate student on the governing authority of the University and there are 3 SU elected representatives too, and these are elected by their peers. More information here: https://www.nuigalway.ie/about-us/university-management/university-structure.html

List of Members:
Cathaoirleach - Máire Geoghegan-Quinn
President - Professor Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh
Deputy President & Registrar - An tOllamh Pól Ó Dochartaigh
University Professors/Associate Professors
- Professor Aisling McCluskey
- Professor Michal Molcho
- Professor James O'Gara
University Academic Staff
- Dr Rachel Hilliard
- Dr Anthony Grehan
- Dr Dara Cannon
University Professional Service Staff
- Sinéad Beacom
- Dr Eric Mortimer
- Monica Crump
Students' Union Elected Officers
- Pádraic Toomey (President)
- Emma Sweeney (Vice-President/Education Officer)
- Róisín Nic Lochlainn (Vice-President/Welfare & Equality Officer)
Postgraduate Representative
- Sebastiaan Bierema
University Graduates
- BGen Ger Aherne
- Edel Browne
- Conor Fottrell
- Nuala Ní Chonghaile
Local Authority Nominees
- Councillor John Keogh (Roscommon County Council)
- Councillor Richard Finn (Mayo County Council)
- Councillor Niall Murphy (Galway City Council)
- Councillor P.J. Kelly (Clare County Council)
- Councillor Sinéad Maguire (Sligo County Council)
- Councillor Eileen Mannion (Galway County Council)
- Councillor John McCartin (Leitrim County Council)
President of St. Angela’s College, Sligo
- Amanda McCloat
Non-members in attendance
- John Gill (Chief Operations Officer)
- Professor James Livesey (Vice-President for Research & Innovation)
- Professor Anne Scott (Vice-President for Equality & Diversity)
- Sharon Bailey (Bursar)
- Caroline Loughnane (Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs)
- Sinéad Ryan (Director of Governance, Office of the Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs)
- Clare McCann (Office of the Secretary for Governance & Academic Affairs)

The Academic Council is the chief academic authority and, subject to review by Údarás na hOllscoile, controls the academic affairs of the University, including the curriculum, instruction and education provided by the University (more information at the webpage link below).

The University Management Team is led by the President who is the Head and Chief officer of the University and appointed for a 10-year period. Acting under the President, the various members of the University Management Team each have a specific area of responsibility (more information at the webpage link below).

Having external members on both our governing bodies is the most effective way that external stakeholders representing formal bodies (such as the local authorities) have a regular voice in institutional decisions that affect them.

An external advisory group was established that inputted into the development of the current university strategy (http://www.nuigalway.ie/strategydevelopment/).

Our Standing and Strategic Planning Committee, which includes external stakeholders provides strategic oversight and monitors the overall implementation of the University’s Strategic Plan(https://www.nuigalway.ie/governance/governing-authority/committees/standing-strategic-planning-committee/).

Two community representatives are members of our CUSP General board, who meet 4 to 5 times a year and informs, advises and makes recommendations to the University Sustainability Advisory Board on all matters relating to campus sustainability, including governance, policy, resourcing and implementation of sustainability (http://www.nuigalway.ie/media/sustainability/CUSP-Terms-of-Reference-Updated-2021.pdf).

The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee of Údarás na hOllscoile, chaired by an external member, provide strategic planning and support for equality, diversity, and inclusion governance and initiatives at NUI Galway (https://www.nuigalway.ie/equalityanddiversity/edistructure/edic/)

Programmes accredited by professional bodies undergo regular review, such as our Engineering degree programmes which are re-accredited every 3-5 years and include an accreditation visit by a panel that involve industry and academia to ensure engineering and engineering technology programmes meet international standards (https://www.engineersireland.ie/listings/resource/587).

In addition, many degree programmes have programme boards that include external stakeholders such as employers of graduates.

The Local Authority nominees each represent a number of community committees, panels and forums and bring the voice of external stakeholders to Údarás na hOllscoile our governing authority. In this way community members provide feedback on institutional decisions through our councillors to our governing authority. They are:
Councillor John Keogh (Roscommon County Council)
Councillor Richard Finn (Mayo County Council)
Councillor Niall Murphy (Galway City Council)
Councillor P.J. Kelly (Clare County Council)
Councillor Sinéad Maguire (Sligo County Council)
Councillor Eileen Mannion (Galway County Council)
Councillor John McCartin (Leitrim County Council)

Councillor Niall Murphy (Galway City Council) is dedicated to representing minority groups as are the others listed. Councillors by their very nature support local and minority groups based in their electoral areas. Councillor Richard Finn has been a staunch supporter of equal gender balance. Fo this reason we enter "7" in the next question.