Positive report on future of Mayo university

A COMMITMENT to broadening the scope of courses and increasing footfall on a campus which meets the needs of the region has been given by the vice-president of Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Mayo, Justin Kerr, who also heads its School of Health Science, Wellbeing & Society.

The Mayo university is currently home to 800 students, having welcomed 151 via the CAO route this year.

Mr. Kerr gave a very positive and well received report to councillors on how the campus is progressing when the ATU hosted the monthly Castlebar Municipal District meeting.

It is a leader with its e-health programmes, and has created a new research centre for connected health - the EPIC Centre.

Validation of new programmes, both CAO and postgraduate, are being progressed too.

And there was a commitment also to improve the fabric of the university building itself, and its sports facilities - pitch and running track, which will be open for community use.

With a proposal gone to the department to develop student accommodation in the military barracks in Castlebar, Mr. Kerr said there had been a positive response to a students union appeal for accommodation locally. This meant they did not have the acute crisis other universities faced this year.

Asked if it would be more beneficial to be funded from the department rather than through Galway, Mr. Kerr said he prepares the budget for Mayo and anything he has submitted to date has not been refused.

Councillor Cyril Burke said plans for collaborations with regards research presented huge opportunities for the university.

There had been 'great pessimism' about the future of the Castlebar campus and the ending of courses a number of years ago, Councillor Al McDonnell reflected.

The numbers now were encouraging.

Councillor Ger Deere agreed that everything seems to be going in the right direction, and the university has huge potential.

The reduction of courses, including construction and business, over the years was commented on by Councillor Donna Sheridan who said she hoped to see a variety of courses coming back on stream through the CAO.