THE £24 million development programme for University College, Galway is more than an ambitious plan to build new buildings, establish new courses and develop fund raising initiatives.
It marks a determined effort by the 152 year old institution to reposition itself for the information society of the next century, according to UCG's president, Dr Patrick Fottrell.
The 10 year modernisation plan is the first of its kind in the university's history and was formally launched last week. Apart from a formal statement of the university's fundamental values and goals, it is informed by a keen awareness that UCG needs to face up to the increasing pace of change.
One of the opening statements in the plan stresses this point: "What is now accepted is that very rapid scientific and technological progress is rendering knowledge obsolete at an ever faster pace; the ability to learn becomes more important than what we learn," it says.
Dr Fottrell said UCG would strive to equip its students with the skills they need in a rapidly changing technological environment, while continuing the university's traditional role in stimulating their intellectual development.
This would be done, in part, by an increased emphasis on lifelong learning. "In practical terms, lifelong learning involves the development of skills in communication, team work and problem solving.
UCG will thus prepare its students to be leaders as it competes in an increasingly competitive arena, not just in terms of Irish institutions but also universities from the UK and even the US, offering distance education and MBAs on the Internet," he said.
The most visible developments will be the new buildings which will help develop its arts, modern languages, science, library and information technology facilities.
New programmes in engineering and law will include a BE in Computer Systems Engineering and a BCL in Law and International Studies. UCG's long standing commitment to the Irish language will be reaffirmed in a new degree course in marine biology, which will be conducted through Irish at a new centre in Carna.
Other "strategic thrusts" in the plan include a commitment to implement a "total quality culture" in all aspects of the university's operations. This will include the development of a formal research policy and structural changes within the university to allow for more decentralised decision making.
"UCG will facilitate and empower all staff to contribute fully to the achievement of the vision of the College on the basis of responsibility, full participation and shared ownership," the plan says.
Dr Fottrell underlined this emphasis on the university's human resources when he spoke to The Irish Times after the formal launch of the plan in Galway. He pointed out that with a staff of 1,083 and a further 300 people indirectly employed, UCG was one of the biggest employers in the west, contributing more than £80 million a year to the local economy.
"In cities in the US the university works very closely with the leaders of industry and business. We've been doing a little bit of that, but we have to do more.
AT a wider level, the university has a responsibility towards the entire stern region, he said.
"We're the fastest growing city in Europe, but that is at the expense of a declining population in the hinterland. One of the things we're addressing is what can we do in terms of rural development to help the population.
"My own answer to that is similar to Tony Blair's education, education, education. We must educate the population in the rural areas to give them the skills and the confidence they need."
UCG was developing a strategic alliance with the University of Missouri, a university in a largely agricultural state. The university there had played a major role in rural development by distance education, and by education in general.
"We're linking up with the University of Missouri in distance education. We hope to run courses on tourism and on community development all over the west.
Some of this kind of work had already started, for example the joint BComm degree course be tween UCG and Shannon College of Hotel Management.
"We should be doing more of that, with people like Teagasc who have their rural development headquarters here in Athenry. We should be doing far more of that with the ICA and the IFA."
The need for such courses was becoming more acute because of the crisis in agriculture. "What should people in Belmullet or Ballyhaunis or Crossmolina, who are trying to get out of farming because it isn't paying them any more, what should they be doing?
"What should we be advising them to do, in terms of studies? What area should they get into? Should they get into sports, horses, tourism what can we do to help people here in our own region?"