GMIT 40TH ANNIVERSARY
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) celebrates its 40th anniversary this academic year with a range of events including a photographic exhibition, national symposium, conferences, graduate reunion, and a range of GMIT Students’ Union events and activities in all campuses.
Calendar of events
Celebrations planned for this milestone academic year include a number of exciting events. The Institute will host several national conferences with international guest speakers and alumni. In addition, GMIT will host the national Foodie Forum in February. A family fun day and Christmas celebration has been planned in conjunction with the GMIT Students’ Union. Several graduate reunions will take place during the year. Students and staff will exhibit work from the various schools and colleges, and the annual Student Achievement awards are a snapshot of some of the activities planned.
Click here to view the calendar of events and activities.
Then and now
GMIT first opened its doors to students on Monday 18 September, 1972, when it was known as the Regional Technical College, Galway. Some 1,213 students were registered on a range of National Certificate and Diploma courses as well as apprentice, trades and craft ‘block’ courses. Today, GMIT has some 8,000 full and part-time registered students on degree and post graduate programmes in Business, Science & Computing, Nursing, Engineering, Tourism & Arts, and Furniture Design & Technology.
Milestones...
Heads of RTC Galway/GMIT
1. Gay Corr, Principal of RTC, Galway, 1972 to December 1990
2. Tony Quinlan, Acting Principal, January 1991 to August 1992
3. Gay Corr, Principal, September 1992 to December 1992; Director, 1992 to 2002
4. Marion Coy, Director of GMIT, 2002 to 2007; President of GMIT, 2007 to 2010
5. Jim Fennell, Acting President, December 2010 to April 2011
5. Michael Carmody, President, since April 2011
The changing student community
GMIT’s current student community is diverse and multi-cultured compared to the early 70s. The Institute has increased its international intake in recent years with students from the US, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Scandinavia studying a variety of programmes in all GMIT campuses; GMIT-registered students are also on a range of placements and exchange programmes in the US, China, Europe, and Australia.
New buildings and changes to campuses
The physical landscape of GMIT has changed considerably in the past decade with refurbishments and new buildings on all campuses, most notably:
- Award-winning ‘Green Sails’ IT Learning Resource Centre, Dublin Road campus (2003)
- Two new Innovation in Business Centres, Galway and Mayo (2005 and 2006)
- New Nursing & Health Science Department, GMIT Castlebar (2008)
- Numerous internal refurbishments in all campuses (2009 – 2012)
Strategic partnerships
The Institute has forged a number of important strategic alliances and partnerships. These include the Connacht-Ulster Alliance with IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT; NUI Galway; The Marine Institute; Lionra Network; and a new partnership with the public State broadcaster RTE. In addition GMIT have a number of active Memorandum of Understandings with international partners including Nanchang University, China; Johnson & Wales University, USA and Zaragoza University, Spain.
Accolades and awards
GMIT staff, students and graduates have been acclaimed nationally and internationally, winning numerous awards and accolades for their academic achievements and creative abilities. GMIT Letterfrack graduate John Lee designed and made the Presidential Inauguration Chair for President Michael D Higgins' inauguration ceremony in November 2011; and Hollywood film director and GMIT Film & TV graduate Gary Shore is currently directing a revival of ‘Dracula Year Zero’ for Hollywood’s Universal Studios.