€20m STEM building earmarked for GMIT

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology is in line for a €20 million investment in a new Science, Technology Engineering and Maths (STEM) building at its Dublin Road campus.

College authorities are meeting with the Department of Education and Skills towards the end of this month with a view to progressing plans for the major development.

As it stands, GMIT has the highest percentage of students studying STEM disciplines of any higher education Institute in Ireland.

GMIT’s STEM profile is already a key attractor of foreign direct investment to Galway and a critical support to the global medical device cluster, pharmaceutical and technology base located in the region.

The news also comes as the college reveals it is on course for student number and revenue growth across each of the five Campuses – with a reported rise in CAO applications for September of 20 per cent.

That 20% increase in first preference Level 8 applications is backed by a 33% rise in such applications on the Mayo Campus in particular, according to GMIT President Dr Fergal Barry.

An increase in full time enrolments comes as several new undergraduate programmes are in development, along with new post-graduate and apprenticeships.

“All the performance trends are positive, GMIT is on course for student number and revenue growth across each of the five Campuses in Galway, Mayo, Letterfrack and Mountbellew, and we are building on these foundations to develop our academic offering in a number of areas,” said Dr Barry.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.