Review Report
Review of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge, NUI Galway.
06/03/2013
Reviewers
Dr Anne O’Connor, Head of Statutory Compliance, RTÉ (Chair);
Professor Boyd Robertson, Principal, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Sleat, Isle of Skye, UK;
Dr Anne Walsh, Academic Co-ordinator, Open Learning Centre, Adult and Continuing Education, NUI
Galway;
Mr Sean O’Driscoll, Athrú Consultancy, Dublin; Co-ordinator.
As a Review Group, we believe we have had a full engagement with a broad range of people including
10 university staff, 34 members of the Acadamh staff and 40 of their students on the NUI Galway
campus and the Gaeltacht centres at An Cheathrú Rua, Carna and Gaoth Dobhair (via videoconference). All the conversations have clearly demonstrated the commitment and passion for the
Acadamh and its work.
Key Strengths
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The passion and commitment of the staff of Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge;
Their Irish language teaching competence and the opportunities for immersion in Irish;
The value that the Acadamh has added to Irish in its translation studies and its conference
interpretation studies including related technologies and equipment;
The Acadamh’s location and facilities within the Gaeltacht communities;
The synergies with the Irish language media concentration within the specific Galway area;
The cultural backdrop of Irish language, arts and heritage;
Collaboration in terms of teaching with Disciplín na Gaeilge, School of Education and Huston Film
School;
The opportunity to build on the Acadamh’s international reputation and expand its offerings;
Staff of NUI Galway feel very privileged with the quality of the teaching and learning that they
receive from the Acadamh;
The Acadamh brand within the Gaeltacht is very strong with potential for further development
through online and global development and expansion.
Key Recommendations:
Key themes have emerged which must be addressed as a matter of urgency and are outlined in the
recommendations below:
1. The immediate initiation of a strategy development process embracing all stakeholders and based
on models of best practice including identification of the Acadamh’s core competencies and
uniqueness (USP) and its role in the national agenda for the Irish language;
2. A clear strategic plan which would include an alignment of the mission and vision with the
University in the context of the educational, economic, socio-linguistic and cultural environment;
3. Development and implementation of a sustainable financial model for the Acadamh including a
commercial strategy and the identification of additional revenue streams, for example, through
enhanced use of online / distance learning opportunities reaching within and beyond Ireland,
including the Irish Diaspora (for example, ‘The Gathering’ opportunity);
4. A review of Governance in terms of structures, resources, processes, oversight and engagement
with stakeholders and funders with the aim of agreeing SLAs, identifying goals, monitoring
performance, gathering metrics and reporting outcomes;
5. The establishment of a Programme Advisory Board with a clear remit to monitor a) curricula
relevance and structures, b) staff and student teaching and learning supports and services and c)
the overall student experience (paying particular attention to the student experience in the
Centres);
6. Implementation of a new and strategically aligned organisation structure taking into account the
physical presence of the Acadamh and its centres, and staff status and roles;
7. Development of an aligned and cohesive leadership team, challenged to deliver the mission and
vision and encouraged to drive excellence;
8. Creation of clear management structures including aligned roles and responsibilities and
accountabilities as well as a five year programme and a strong operational plan with clear lines of
communication;
9. A review of current provision with a view to establishing the feasibility of programme offerings,
the development of a research strategy and focussing on areas in which the Acadamh has gained
an international reputation, for example, the teaching of Irish and language planning;
10. The building of appropriate linkages, partnerships and collaborations with:
− The University particularly in the academic areas where collaboration already exists or can be
developed;
− The digitisation and archival projects;
− The Research community;
− Lifelong learning, online and blended-learning community;
− The national clusters of HE initiatives;
− The international community;
11. Promotion of a stronger recognition of the value of the Irish language within NUI Galway by
designing and implementing an enhanced Irish agenda on campus, such as ‘Speak Irish on Friday’
initiatives;
12. Development of a programme to raise the profile of the Acadamh within NUI Galway, regionally,
nationally and internationally;
13. The commissioning of an impact assessment study of the role of the Acadamh and its Centres in
the region.
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Other Recommendations
1. The University must facilitate ways in which individual Schools can achieve more effective
integration and collaboration;
2. The University should ensure that its risk management strategy includes a review of areas such as
the Acadamh;
3. The University should clarify its own requirement for Irish language proficiency as a criterion for
promotion.
Comments on Review Process
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The Review Panel wishes to express its appreciation of the support received from Seathrún Ó
Tuairisg, Internal Facilitator, from Aoife Ní Churraoin our translator and from David O’Sullivan and
the staff of the Quality Office. We would also wish to thank the Self-Assessment Team, Dónall Ó
Braonáin and the Acadamh staff;
More time for the Review panel to reflect on, and discuss, the inputs received, especially between
the meeting sessions, would have been helpful;
It would have been beneficial to have had input from other key stakeholders in the process;
Input from the Review Group Chair or co-ordinator as to who is to be interviewed would have
been helpful as would discussion with regard to locations to be visited and the rationale for same;
It would have been useful to have received the key documentation provided during the visit in
advance of the start of the review.
In addition to the above recommendations some other thoughts emerged during the Review that we
consider are worthy of consideration in the implementation of the recommendations outlined above:
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Acadamh should be at centre / core to national agenda/ leadership on Irish language
educational/academic/language-learning initiatives.
Isolation of students at An Cheathrú Rua and recommendation that University’s (and Acadamh’s)
duty of care to these students be reviewed as a matter of urgency. Ideas might include investigation of ‘shuttle-bus’ to NUI Galway campus; greater use of video-conferencing and other
technologies; provision of library services (possibly using Micheál Ó Curraoin bequest to James
Hardiman Library for use by students at An Cheathrú Rua);
The ‘academic’ status of the lecturing and teaching staff of the Acadamh should be communicated
to the NUI Galway Library to ensure they have equal access to materials and services as their NUI
Galway academic colleagues;
Review issue that students of the Acadamh do not receive any Irish language proficiency
qualification as part of some degrees.
In a strategic review of the Acadamh, focus on research and scholarship opportunities, especially
where external (national and international) sponsorship and funding collaborations arise;
Set specific targets, measurements, delivery timelines to use as part of a Value for Money
framework exercise; agree SLAs with key stakeholders, customers and service providers; gather
metrics for all of these for governance and reporting purposes to senior University management on
an ongoing basis.
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National University of Ireland, Galway
Review Programme 2012/2013
Action List
Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
Action Plan Meeting held on Wednesday, 27th March at 10am in QA113 Alexander Boardroom
Present
Representing Acadamh: Mr Dónall Ó Braonáin (Príomhfheidhmeannach an Acadaimh),
Seathrún Ó Tuairisg – Chair, Self-Assessment Committee, Dorothy Ní Uigín, Eoin Ó
Droighneáin, Veronica Ní Ghríofa, Seán Ó Guairim, Norita Ní Chartúir
From Review Group: Ms Anne Walsh.
From NUI Galway: Dr David O’Sullivan (Director of Quality, Chair), Prof Nollaig Mac Congáil
(Registrar & Deputy President), Dr Edward Herring (Dean of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic
Studies), Maureen Linnane (in attendance).
This Action List has been agreed by Reviewers, the Unit under review and University
Management in response to the Reviewers Report for the above named review. This report
and the Reviewers Report are now made available on the University’s public web site.
A detailed Action Plan containing details of Responsibilities, Priorities and Progress is required
to be developed and implementation and is subject to approval by the University
Management Team. Progress on the detailed Action Plan will be followed up by the Quality
Office after 12 months.
Action for Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge
1. ‘Review’ current provision to:
a) establish the feasibility of programme offerings,
b) develop a research strategy, and
c) focus on areas in which the Acadamh has gained an international reputation.
4. Continue to build appropriate linkages, partnerships and collaborations with:
a) The University particularly in academic areas where collaboration already
exists or can be developed,
b) Digitisation and archival projects,
c) The Research Community,
d) Lifelong Learning, online and blended-learning community,
e) National clusters of HE initiatives,
f) The International Community.
5. Promote stronger recognition of the ‘value’ or benefits of the Irish language across NUI
Galway.
6. Develop a ‘programme’ to raise the profile of the Acadamh within NUI Galway, regionally,
nationally and internationally.
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Action for University Management
1. Strategic Development Initiative: The University will form a steering group led by a senior
academic to deliver on the following interrelated actions that arise from the Reviewers’
recommendations.
a) Commission an ‘impact assessment study’ of the role of the Acadamh in the
region and with impact of units such as Adult Education, School of Education
and others in preparation for the University’s Strategic Planning process.
b) Initiate a strategy development process embracing all stakeholders based on
models of best practice and develop a clear ‘strategic and operational plan’
aligned with the mission and vision of the University.
c) Develop and implement a sustainable ‘financial model’ for the Acadamh
including a commercial strategy and identify additional revenue streams.
d) Review Governance in terms of structures, resources, processes, oversight and
engagement with stakeholders and funders with the aim of agreeing SLAs,
identifying goals, monitoring performance, gathering metrics and reporting
outcomes.
e) Re-establish a ‘Programme Advisory Board’ with a clear remit to monitor i)
curricula relevance and structures, ii) staff and student teaching and learning
supports and services, and iii) the overall student experience.
f) Implement a new and strategically aligned ‘organisation structure’ and
‘leadership team’ taking into account the physical presence of the Acadamh
and its centres, and staff status and roles and to deliver the mission and vision
and to drive excellence.
g) Ensure that the University’s ‘risk management strategy’ includes a review of
areas such as the Acadamh.
2. Continue to facilitate ways in which individual Schools can achieve more effective
‘integration and collaboration’ with Acadamh.
3. Continue to review and communicate the University’s criteria for Irish language
proficiency as a criterion for promotion.
4. Involve Acadamh appropriately when developing the next Institutional Strategic Plan.
A supplementary Action Plan meeting took place on Wednesday 1st May 2013 between The
Registrar, Príomhfheidhmeannach an Acadaimh, the Academic Secretary and Director of
Quality to confirm details of the Action Plan and in particular the role of University
Management in facilitating the Strategic Development Initiative.
Approved by:
Príomhfheidhmeannach an Acadaimh, Mr Dónall Ó Braonáin
Registrar and Deputy President, Professor Nollaig Mac Congáil
Dean of Arts, Social Sciences and Celtic Studies, Dr Edward Herring
Director of Quality, Dr David O’Sullivan
Finalised: May 2013
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