Nationwide marks 40th anniversary of Galway-Mayo IT

THE 40th anniversary of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) will be celebrated on RTÉ's Nationwide on Monday, November 5 at 7 pm. Presenter Mary Kennedy visited the Galway campus to find out about student life and the contribution GMIT has made to the social, cultural and economic development of the region over the past 40 years. [private] She spoke to GMIT President Michael Carmody about the history of the institute, which first opened its doors in 1972, when it was known as the Regional Technical College, Galway with 1,213 students registered. Today, GMIT has some 8,000 full and part-time registered students on degree and post-graduate programmes. The programme looks at the wide and varied activities taking place across the five campuses and even into the ocean. Its proximity to the Atlantic seaboard means that there's a real focus on marine life and students at GMIT have been investigating the behaviour of the dolphin under the tutelage of Clare native Dr. Johann O'Brien In the maths and computing department the programme features some creative students who have developed a phone App that could help improve road safety. Nationwide reporter Orla Nix visited the other four GMIT campuses in Castlebar, Cluain Mhuire, Letterfrack and Mountbellew. The programme will also give an insight into student life on campus, students' interaction with local charities and the institute's ongoing commitment to assisting innovation and research. [/private]