In the News..

Specialist facility supports world-leading medical devices firm to expand research and innovation links University of Galway has today launched its new Medical Device Prototype Hub, supported by medical device company Medtronic.  The development of the facility is part of the five-year €5million signature innovation partnership between Medtronic and the University, announced in 2023, which focuses on three pillars: developing the MedTech ecosystem, STEM engagement and research.  President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn, said: “The launch of the Medical Device Prototype Hub at University of Galway marks a hugely significant milestone in our signature partnership with Medtronic but it also sends a strong message to all those in the sector and all those who are driving innovation – University of Galway is creating the ecosystem in which our partners in research and innovation can thrive. We look forward to celebrating the the breakthroughs and successes that this initiative enables.”               Ronan Rogers Senior R&D Director, Medtronic, said: “Today’s launch of the Medical Device Prototype Hub represents an exciting next step in our long‑standing partnership with University of Galway. Medtronic has deep roots in the west of Ireland, and this facility strengthens a shared commitment to advancing research, accelerating innovation, and developing the next generation of medical technologies. We are proud to invest in an ecosystem that not only drives technological progress but also supports talent development. This Hub will unlock new avenues for discovery and accelerate the path from promising ideas to real‑world medical solutions for patients.”  The Medical Device Prototype Hub forms part of the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation which was established in the University in 2024, as part of the signature innovation partnership. It will be further supported through collaborations with government agencies and industry leaders.  The Medical Device Prototype Hub sits within University of Galway’s new Technology Services Directorate, which provides shared research infrastructure and technical expertise to underpin activities across both the Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation and the Institute for Clinical Trials, established in 2024 and 2023 respectively.  The Hub will be further enhanced through partnerships with government agencies and industry leaders, creating a collaborative environment that supports translation, innovation, and regional growth in life sciences and medical technologies.  The development is part of an integrated ecosystem at University of Galway which enables sustained, research-led development further positioning Galway as the centre of Ireland’s global MedTech hub and the University as integral to research for the public good on the world stage.  Aoife Duffy, Director of Technology Services Directorate at University of Galway, said: “The Technology Services Directorate brings together key research facilities that support fundamental research at University of Galway. It aims to advance our research excellence by bringing together state-of-the-art core facilities and making strategic decisions on infrastructure and investment. The new prototype hub significantly enhances the innovation pathway available for the university research community and wider, and we look forward to working with Medtronic on this partnership”.  Professor Ted Vaughan, Director of Institute for Health Discovery and Innovation (IHDI), said: “The Medical Device Prototype Hub will serve as a central core facility, providing the engineering infrastructure and expertise to design, build and test new devices. It adds to the vibrant healthtech and medtech ecosystem in the west of Ireland and provides fertile ground to drive its growth.  “Our vision is to make sure we have the best possible conditions for the R&D of new technologies for healthcare. Our aim is to address remaining gaps in the development pipeline, from discovery to innovation."  The Medical Device Prototype Hub has expert staff to facilitate concept creation, development and manufacturing of innovative medical device prototypes. The team offers a comprehensive suite of services to support early-stage medical device innovation, including both virtual and physical prototyping, enabling rapid design iteration through Computer Aided Design, modelling and simulation.   The Medical Device Prototype Hub provides a full service, one-stop, solution for 3D printing needs, which includes a host of expert-led design, printing and consultancy and is equipped with state-of-the-art additive manufacturing technologies for validation of prototypes.  Ends

University of Galway engineering student Nicola Latham has been awarded the Cunningham Civil and Marine Engineering Scholarship. The scholarship supports students studying civil and marine engineering providing financial assistance alongside industry recognition and is awarded based on academic performance and interest in the field. A first-year civil engineering student at University of Galway from Rosenallis, Co. Cavan, Nicola was awarded the scholarship for her dedication to her studies and her potential to contribute to the future of the engineering profession.             Danielle Cunningham, Director of Cunningham Civil and Marine Ltd, said: “Supporting young people and increasing female participation in civil engineering is essential for the future of the industry. We are proud to support students like Nicola as they begin their engineering careers.” Headquartered in Westport, Co Mayo, Cunningham Civil and Marine Ltd employs more than 80 construction professionals. The company has grown to become one of Ireland’s leading Marine Contractors with a long list of successfully delivered complex projects including major works at Greenore, Dublin and Cork Ports. Ends

University of Galway has been named as one of the top universities in Europe, according to the QS World University Rankings: Europe 2026. For the third year in a row the Europe-wide rankings have placed University of Galway in the top bracket in Europe out of 958 institutions across 42 locations. The QS European Rankings builds on the reputation that University of Galway has achieved in recent years for progress on sustainability in the QS European ranking’s Top 50 for Sustainability; the number one university in Ireland in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings and in the world’s top 50 for progress towards the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). President of University of Galway, Professor David Burn, said: “Being ranked in the top 100 universities in Europe for the third year in a row is a wonderful endorsement. These annual rankings allow us to benchmark ourselves against our national and international peers and to assess our individual institutional performance across a range of datasets. I am delighted to see ranking successes in our academic reputation, employment outcomes, citations per paper and outbound exchange students. “In line with our University strategy 2025-2030, Of Galway, For the World, we are determined to build on our international reputation and reach, while serving our students and community through four pillars: Innovation of Health; Creativity, Culture and Society; Sustainable and Resilient Environments, Earth and Ocean; and Transformative Data and AI. “I would like to commend the effort by our University community in aligning our values of respect, excellence, openness, sustainability and belonging to our education and research outputs and impacts. University of Galway will continue to adapt to societal demands in a multidisciplinary approach that benefits our region, the island of Ireland and internationally, while equipping our students with the skills they need.” QS Senior Vice President Ben Sowter said: “Europe’s higher education sector remains strong, underpinned by world-class research universities, strong international collaboration, and growing momentum behind transnational alliances and joint degrees. Cross-border mobility remains a defining strength. However, funding and research capacity vary widely between national systems, contributing to uneven performance and talent retention. At the same time, universities face mounting pressure to sustain research excellence, deepen industry engagement, and modernise governance and delivery models amid funding deficits and tightening policy around international mobility.” University of Galway saw increases in the QS ranking in its Academic Reputation, Employment Outcomes, Citations per Paper and Outbound Exchange Students, placing it 98th out of almost 1,000 institutions.The full rankings can be found at:  www.topuniversities.com/europe-university-rankings.  Ends