Maynooth University to welcome record number of students in September

Monday, August 21, 2017 - 08:30

Irish Version

Strong demand for its undergraduate curriculum will see the highest ever intake of first year students at Maynooth University this September. More than 3,150 first year students will join the University this autumn, an increase of five percent on last year.

The demand from students for Maynooth University’s new undergraduate curriculum represents a significant endorsement of its unique proposition in the Irish education system. The curriculum has been designed in response to the needs of today’s students—and the skills they will need to adapt and succeed in the workplace of the future—and provides greater choice and flexibility within its degrees. Undergraduate students have the option of specialising immediately or exploring a range of disciplines in first year and specialising later. 

Maynooth University President, Professor Philip Nolan, observes: “Maynooth University will welcome a record number of first year students in September. These students will have the benefit of both a broad education and one that allows them to specialise in their chosen areas of interest. Our curriculum has been designed with their future needs firmly in mind.

“Today represents a significant milestone for Maynooth University – the high level of demand we have seen for our undergraduate courses is a great vindication of the changes we have made to our undergraduate offering.

“Interestingly, this group of the students is the first to experience the new Leaving Certificate grading system and higher education points scale. Points for entry to higher education are being awarded using a new scale which is designed to encourage and reward learning in a fair and equitable manner, but without placing excessive or inappropriate pressures on students.

“These changes are part of an ongoing process to improve how the Leaving Certificate and higher education admissions systems work together to enhance the transition from second to third level and, hopefully, begin to take the heat out of the ‘points race’,” Professor Nolan concluded.

Maynooth University is Ireland’s fastest growing university, with more than 12,000 students, including 2,200 research and Taught Master’s students, and 1,700 students from 95 countries.  Maynooth University has recently marked 20 years since its foundation as an independent institution, and earlier this year was recognised as one of the leading new universities in the world when Times Higher Education ranked it #49 in its 2017 Young University Rankings. The ranking is the highest position achieved by Maynooth, and is the highest position ever achieved by an Irish university. 

Cuirfidh Ollscoil Mhá Nuad fáilte roimh níos mó mac léinn ná riamh i mí Mheán Fómhair

Dé Luain an 21 Lúnasa 2017: Mar thoradh ar an éileamh mór atá ar a curaclam nua, glacfaidh Ollscoil Mhá Nuad le níos mó mac léinn na chéad bhliana ná riamh i mí Mheán Fómhair. Tosóidh breis agus 3,150 mac léinn amach sa chéad bhliain san Ollscoil san fhómhar, ardú cúig faoin gcéad ar fhigiúirí na bliana seo caite.

Léiríonn an t-éileamh ó mhic léinn ar an gcuraclam fochéime nua atá forbartha ag Ollscoil Mhá Nuad go bhfuil muinín acu as an tairiscint uathúil seo i gcóras oideachais na hÉireann. Dearadh an curaclam le freastal ar riachtanais na mac léinn sa lá atá inniu ann – agus ar na scileanna a theastóidh uathu le dul i dtaithí ar an láthair oibre sa todhchaí agus le dul chun cinn a dhéanamh inti - agus cuireann an curaclam fochéime nua roghanna agus solúbthacht bhreise ar fáil laistigh dá cuid céimeanna. Cuireann sé an rogha ar fáil do mhic léinn fochéime speisialtóireacht a dhéanamh láithreach nó blaiseadh a fháil de réimse disciplíní sa chéad bhliain agus speisialtóireacht a dhéanamh ina dhiaidh sin.

Dúirt an tOllamh Pilib Ó Nualláin, Uachtarán Ollscoil Mhá Nuad: “Cuirfidh Ollscoil Mhá Nuad fáilte roimh níos mó mac léinn sa chéad bhliain ná riamh i mí Mheán Fómhair. Bainfidh na mic léinn seo tairbhe as oideachas leathan, oideachas a thugann an deis dóibh speisialtóireacht a dhéanamh sna réimsí spéise atá roghnaithe acu féin. Dearadh ár gcuraclam agus na riachtanais a bheidh acu amach anseo curtha san áireamh.
“Cor cinniúnach atá ann inniu d’Ollscoil Mhá Nuad - tacaíonn an t-éileamh mór atá ar ár gcúrsaí fochéime leis an gcinneadh a rinneamar ár dtairiscint fochéime a leasú.”
“Tá sé spéisiúil gurb é an grúpa seo an chéad ghrúpa a bhfuil taithí acu ar an gcóras grádaithe nua don Ardteistiméireacht agus ar an scála nua do phointí ardoideachais. Bronntar pointí d’iontráil chuig an ardoideachas trí úsáid a bhaint as scála nua atá deartha le spreagadh a thabhairt don fhoghlaim agus le haitheantas a bhaint amach ar bhealach atá cóir agus cothrom, gan brúnna iomarcacha nó míchuí a chur ar mhic léinn.
“Tá na hathruithe seo mar chuid de phróiseas leanúnach atá ar bun le feabhas a chur ar an gcaoi a n-oibríonn an córas iontrála ag leibhéal na hArdteistiméireachta agus ag leibhéal an ardoideachais as láimh a chéile agus le feabhas a chur ar an aistriú ón dara leibhéal chuig an tríú leibhéal. Tá súil againn go mbainfidh na hathruithe seo cuid den chumhacht ó ‘rás na bpointí’,” a dúirt an tOllamh Ó Nualláin mar fhocal scoir.

Is í Ollscoil Mhá Nuad an ollscoil is gasta fás in Éirinn. Tá breis agus 12,000 mac léinn ag freastal uirthi, lena n-áirítear 2,200 mac léinn a bhfuil taighde nó Máistreacht Teagaisc ar bun acu agus breis agus 1,700 mac léinn ó 95 thír éagsúla. Rinne Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ceiliúradh 20 bliain a bunaithe mar institiúid neamhspleách le déanaí, agus níos luaithe sa bhliain, bhain an ollscoil aitheantas amach mar cheann de na hollscoileanna nua is fearr ar domhan agus an 49ú háit bainte amach aici i Rangú na nOllscoileanna Óga 2017, rangú a rinne an Times Higher Education. Seo an rangú is airde atá bainte amach ag Ollscoil Mhá Nuad go dtí seo, agus is é an rangú is airde é atá bainte amach ag aon ollscoil in Éirinn riamh.