Title: director of school of information technology, NUI Galway

Age: 45

Education: Scoil Chr∅ost RI, Cork, Colβiste Chr∅ost R═, Cork; UCC: B Eng civil engineering; Master's engineering science; PhD in systems modelling; chartered engineer, fellow of the IEI.

Family: married to Mary; three children, Andrew (14), Terry (11) and Miriam (7).

The building: 4,100 square metres; 35 per cent of space allocated to research.

Location: on the banks of the river Corrib, NUI Galway campus

Cost: £9million

Staff: 18 full-time academic staff; up to 15 part-time teachers and research assistants.

Core undergraduate programmes: BSc IT, four-year degree with work placement; B.E. (electronic and computer engineering), four-year degree, offered jointly with the Electrical Engineering Department; B.A. (with IT major), arts faculty; BSc (computing studies).