Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology

thumb|GMIT Galway campus, Dublin Road, Galway

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The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT; ) was an institute of technology, located in Galway, Ireland. In April 2022, it was formally dissolved, and its functions were transferred to Atlantic Technological University (ATU). Now a constituent institute of ATU, it has facilities in the west of Ireland. GMIT's campuses are located in Galway City, Castlebar, Letterfrack and Mountbellew. GMIT won The Sunday Times Institute of Technology of the Year award in 2004, 2007, 2015 and 2022. GMIT also has a number of specialist research centres and two Innovation Hubs (in Galway and Mayo).

History

The institute was founded in 1973 as Regional Technical College Galway.

In 1975, the first bachelor's degree course was approved at a regional technical college, and by May 1977 the first degrees were conferred, a B.A. in Hotel and Catering Management.

In the 1980s it developed partnerships with other educational providers in the region including the Franciscan Agricultural College, Mountbellew (established 1904) and Connemara West in Letterfrack. In 1994 it opened a campus at Castlebar, County Mayo (the former St. Mary's Hospital, Castlebar) and at Cluain Mhuire in Galway city. Galway RTC like other regional technical colleges gained autonomy in 1992. In 1997 the college was renamed Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.

Presidents of GMIT

In December 2019, Dr. Orla Flynn was appointed president of GMIT, succeeding, Dr. Fergal Barry who was appointed in 2015 and resigned, in May 2019. Previous presidents (or directors or principals as the post was previously called) of the college include Michael Carmody (2012–2015), and Marion Coy (2002–2011). Dr. Gay Corr was head of GMIT from its foundation as Galway RTC in 1972 until 2002.

Buildings and sites

Galway campus

GMIT Galway campus was based on the Dublin Road in the Ballybane suburb of Galway city, overlooking Galway Bay. It was the administrative headquarters for the institute and has four schools of study; the School of Business, the School of Engineering, the School of Science & Computing, and Galway International Hotel School.

Also located at this campus were the Innovation Hub, the Lifelong Learning Centre and the Research, Development & Innovation Centre.

Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM)

GMIT's Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) was located a mile from the main campus on the Monivea Road. It was based in an old Redemptorist Monastery and is now the location of an Art, Design and Media college.

It offered undergraduate courses in design, contemporary arts, film & documentary, textiles and fine art. In 2016, it introduced post-graduate courses in Creative Practice to support artists, designers and filmmakers.

The annual graduate exhibitions and screenings showcased the work being produced throughout the academic year.

thumb|GMIT Centre for Creative Arts and Media, Galway City

Mayo campus

thumb|Campus building in Castlebar, originally built as [[St. Mary's Hospital, Castlebar|St. Mary's Hospital in 1866.]]

GMIT Mayo campus was located at Castlebar on approximately 20 hectares of land.

Degree courses that were on offer included business, engineering, humanities, nursing and social care, and technology. GMIT Mayo campus also offered a wide range of Lifelong Learning courses, and had an Innovation Hub to support entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.

Letterfrack campus

thumb|Campus building in Letterfrack, originally built as [[St Joseph's Industrial School, Letterfrack|St Joseph's Industrial School in 1887 after the designs of the Cavan architect William Hague.]]

GMIT Letterfrack campus was the National Centre of Excellence for Furniture Design and Wood Technology, and had been involved with the study of furniture design since 1987.

It offered degree courses in furniture design and manufacture, furniture and wood technology, and teacher education (construction studies and DCG).

The campus was located in Connemara in County Galway.

Mountbellew campus

Mountbellew was the first agricultural college in Ireland, set up by the Franciscan Brothers in 1904. The original college was demolished in 1971 and replaced with the new building in 1975. In 1986, the Franciscan Brothers Agricultural College established a link with GMIT to deliver a Higher Certificate in Business Studies (Agribusiness).

Previously, GMIT students in Mountbellew could choose between three types of degree (Agri-Business, Agri-Science or Agri-Engineering) and spend time between the Mountbellew and Galway campuses.

Atlantic Technological University

With alliances made in 2012, by 2015, GMIT, along with IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT, submitted a formal Expression of Interest to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for re-designation as a Technological University.

The plan was a tenet of the GMIT strategic plan 2019 – 2023.

The CUA planned to make a formal application in 2021, with a TU beginning operations in 2022. In October 2020, the constituent IT's were allocated over €5.5 million towards transformation.

On 28 October 2021, an announcement was made by the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, TD, that together GMIT, LYIT and IT Sligo were approved for designation as a Technological University (TU).

On 23 November 2021, it was announced that the name of the new TU would be Atlantic Technological University (ATU). ATU was formally established on 1 April 2022. GMIT president Orla Flynn apologised for the "data breach" and said "and some of the comments made by our staff do not reflect the values to which we aspire"; she did not apologise publicly for the conduct of the women lecturers but said GMIT would apologise directly.

Also in December 2020, a Freedom of Information request revealed that GMIT had spent €5,217 investigating claims of sexual harassment.

References

External links

Official site – Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (as ATU)
Official site - Atlantic Technological University