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 Professor John Canavan appointed to globally recognised research role  Professor John Canavan has been announced as the new UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth, and Civic Engagement at University of Galway.  The appointment has been marked with an inaugural lecture by Professor Canavan, exploring how society can advance knowledge and practice to improve the lives of children and young people.   The event showcased the work of the team of researchers working with the UNESCO Chair, as well as the values and guiding principles which underpin their work, and to demonstrate their contribution to the mission of UNESCO and the wider United Nations system.   Professor Canavan is a Personal Professor in Political Science and Sociology and the Director of the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre, which he co-founded at University of Galway in 2007. The UNESCO Chair programme in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement at the University was established in 2008 and is delivered through the UNESCO Child and Family Research Centre.  Professor Canavan said: “My vision for the UNESCO Chair is to make a significant contribution to global policy and practice in the field of children and young people’s wellbeing, through our team’s scientific research and evaluation programme focused on Empathy, Mentoring, Youth as Researchers, Family Support and Alternative Education.”  The 2025-2029 programme for the UNESCO Chair in Children, Youth and Civic Engagement focuses on five thematic areas - youth empathy and civic engagement; youth mentoring; family support; youth engagement and participation; and alternative education. It also includes a number of objectives: to enhance and further develop existing work focusing on: Empathy/Social and Emotional Learning; Youth Mentoring; Alternative Education; and the Youth as Researchers (YAR) model. to develop a UNESCO position on family support as a policy paradigm that supports parents and wider family in meeting the needs of excluded children and young people in educational and inter-sectoral settings; and to embed policy and systems change as a cross-cutting theme across all work programmes seeking more effective bridging of policy and research worlds for greater societal impact. The former UNESCO Chair, Professor Pat Dolan, who held the role from 2008 to 2024, has been appointed Professor Emeritus at University of Galway. Ends  

University of Galway has conferred its 2025 honorary degrees, celebrating distinguished individuals for their outstanding contributions across the arts, literature, music, law, and public life.The awards were formally presented at a special ceremony on-campus today, November 27th, 2025. Professor David Burn, President of University of Galway, said: "Our honorary degrees recognise individuals whose achievements reflect the values and aspirations of our University community. This year’s recipients represent excellence across creative, cultural, academic and civic life and we are honoured to welcome them into our University community." The six recipients include: Brian Bourke – Doctor of Arts (honoris causa)Award-winning painter and visual artist. Anna Heussaff – Doctor of Literature (honoris causa)Award-winning novelist and translator writing as Gaeilge for adults and teens, recognised for her literary achievements and advocacy in cultural and climate issues. Kathleen Loughnane – Doctor of Music (honoris causa)Renowned harpist, teacher and founder of Dordán, acclaimed for her role in preserving and promoting Ireland’s harp tradition. Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha – Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)Former Advocacy Manager and Deputy General Secretary of Conradh na Gaeilge, who worked tirelessly for the promotion of Irish as a community language. Pádraig Ó Céidigh – Doctor of Economic Science (honoris causa)Entrepreneur, business leader, and former Senator, accountant, solicitor, and teacher who scaled companies, shaped public policy including Aer Arann. Micheál Ó Cuaig – Doctor of Music (honoris causa)Poet, singer, and founder of Féile Joe Éinniú, who has nurtured and performed the sean-nós tradition, mentoring generations and helping drive its revival. Three nominees, Margo Harkin, Olwen Fouéré and Kerby A. Miller declined degrees due to the University’s participation in an EU Horizon Europe research project involving an Israeli university. Professor Burn continued: "We respect the decision of other nominees to not participate today. Discussion and debate are the cornerstones of University life, and we are committed to finding a way forward with our community.”     Ends

Bhronn Ollscoil na Gaillimhe céimeanna oinigh 2025, agus ceiliúradh déanta ar dhaoine mór le rá as an gcion suntasach atá déanta acu sna healaíona, sa litríocht, sa cheol, sa dlí agus sa saol poiblí. Bronnadh na gradaim go foirmiúil ag searmanas speisialta ar an gcampas inniu, an 27 Samhain 2025. Dúirt Uachtarán Ollscoil na Gaillimhe, an tOllamh David Burn: "Tugann ár gcéimeanna oinigh aitheantas do dhaoine a léiríonn a gcuid éachtaí luachanna agus mianta phobal na hOllscoile. Léiríonn céimithe oinigh na bliana seo sármhaitheas cruthaitheach, cultúrtha, acadúil agus sibhialta agus is mór an onóir dúinn fáilte a chur rompu isteach i bpobal na hOllscoile." Áirítear ar an seisear ar bronnadh céim oinigh orthu: Brian Bourke – Dochtúir sna Dána (honoris causa)Péintéir agus ealaíontóir amhairc a bhfuil gradaim go leor buaite aige. Anna Heussaff – Dochtúir le Litríocht (honoris causa)Úrscéalaí agus aistritheoir a bhfuil gradaim go leor buaite aici a scríobhann i nGaeilge do dhaoine fásta agus do dhéagóirí, agus atá aitheanta as a cuid éachtaí liteartha agus a cuid abhcóideachta maidir le saincheisteanna cultúrtha agus aeráide. Kathleen Loughnane – Dochtúir le Ceol (honoris causa)Cláirseoir, múinteoir agus bunaitheoir Dordán, a bhfuil cáil uirthi as a ról i gcaomhnú agus i gcur chun cinn thraidisiún cláirsí na hÉireann. Peadar Mac Fhlannchadha – Dochtúir le Dlíthe (honoris causa)Iar-Bhainisteoir Abhcóideachta agus Leas-Ard-Rúnaí Chonradh na Gaeilge, a d'oibrigh gan stad gan staonadh chun an Ghaeilge a chur chun cinn mar theanga phobail. Pádraig Ó Céidigh – Dochtúir le hEolaíocht Eacnamaíoch (honoris causa)Fiontraí, ceannaire gnó, iarSheanadóir, cuntasóir, aturnae, agus múinteoir a rinne cuideachtaí a mhéadú, lena n-áirítear Aer Arann, agus a mhúnlaigh beartas poiblí. Micheál Ó Cuaig – Dochtúir le Ceol (honoris causa)File, amhránaí, agus bunaitheoir Fhéile Joe Éinniú, a chothaigh agus a léirigh traidisiún an tsean-nóis, a rinne meantóireacht ar gach aoisghrúpa agus a chuidigh le hathbheochan an tsean-nóis.  Dhiúltaigh triúr ainmnithe, Margo Harkin, Olwen Fouéré agus Kerby A. Miller, glacadh leis na céimeanna mar gheall ar rannpháirtíocht na hOllscoile i dtionscadal taighde de chuid chlár an Aontais Eorpaigh, Fís Eorpach, a bhfuil ollscoil Iosraelach páirteach ann.  Bhí an méid seo le rá ag an Ollamh Burn chomh maith: "Tá meas againn ar chinneadh na n-ainmnithe eile a shocraigh gan páirt a ghlacadh in ócáid an lae inniu. Is é an cur agus cúiteamh bunchloch shaol na hOllscoile, agus táimid tiomanta bealach chun cinn a aimsiú in éineacht lenár bpobal.” Críoch