Policies and Reports

NUI Galway Deportation Positioning Statement

There are currently approximately eight thousand International Protection Applicants (IPAs) nationwide, residing in various forms of State-provided accommodation. Of those, approximately two hundred are currently studying in third level education and, of those, five are studying at NUI Galway . Students are particularly vulnerable to deportation, which often poses a threat to life if returned to their country of origin. However, Student’s Unions have recently supported students facing deportation orders through a number of successful campaigns. In 2018, the Dublin City University Students’ Union (DCUSU) mounted an effective campaign to prevent the forced deportation of one of their fellow students, Shepherd Machaya. The Students’ Union, supported locally by hundreds of DCU students and staff, and nationally by fellow students, community group and activists, petitioned outside the Department of Justice for a number of days to ensure that Shephard would not be deported. As a result of the petition, the deportation order was postponed. However, the stay on deportation order prolonged the ordeal, and still leaves Shephard in a state of limbo as his deportation date is continually postponed. Shepherd has stated that he is in a constant state of fear, waiting for the day where it will not be postponed.

Read the full Positioning Statement on International Protection and Deportation Orders

University of Sanctuary Movement and Campaign Report

The National University of Ireland Galway has undertaken a series of strategies to develop, nurture, and sustain a welcoming environment on campus, particularly for those in Direct Provision, refugees, and members of the Traveller community. These strategies encompass an on-going institution-wide response to the unprecedented global refugee crisis and low levels of participation in higher education among the Traveller community, and to provide access to higher education opportunities at NUI Galway. We put forward this report which documents the process of developing and deepening the ‘NUI Galway University of Sanctuary’ movement and campaign as we endeavour to be recognised as an Irish University of Sanctuary, given our top-down and bottom-up commitments

Read the full University of Sanctuary Movement and Campaign Report

U‌niversity of Sanctuary Scholarship Programme Outcome Report 2019-2020

The 2019/20 University of Galway, University of Sanctuary Scholarship Programme resulted from the successful expansion of the preexisting Inclusive Centenaries and Admissions Office Scholarship Programmes. 

Funded by the University of Galway University Management Team via the Galway University Foundation, the University of Sanctuary Steering Committee successfully advocated for the introduction of 6 undergraduate and 3 postgraduate scholarships for the academic year 2019/20. 

Read the full Outcome Report 19-20. 

University of Galway University of Sanctuary Scholarship Programme Outcome Report 2020-21

As part of our University of Sanctuary Initiative at University of Galway, the UoS Steering Committee introduced a specific UoS Scholarship Programme for the academic year 2019-20. Building upon the work of the Inclusive Centenaries and Admissions Office scholarship programmes, the UoS Scholarship Programme is designed to increase participation at University of Galway for International Protection Applicants, refugees, vulnerable immigrant groups and Irish Travellers. 

For the academic year 2020 the scholarship programme was expanded from 9 scholarships to 12, allocated by the various Colleges at the University.

Read the full Outcome Report 20-21.

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