NUI Galway promotes Italian in the West

NUI Galway’s Italian Studies and School of Education and St Joseph’s Patrician College (‘The Bish’) have initiated a collaboration, which, if successful, will see the establishment of Italian language and culture course in secondary level schools in Galway.

As part of this unique project entitled Andiamo, NUI Galway lecturer Dr Laura McLoughlin and postgraduate student Dr Francesca Magnoni have designed, and are currently teaching, an eight-week pilot intensive course in Italian with first year students at The Bish. To date 26 students have enrolled in the course.

Professor Paolo Bartoloni, Head of Italian at NUI Galway, said: “This initiative has the potential to make a strong contribution to the language proficiency and diversity of Galway and its region, provide continuity and the necessary link between primary, secondary and tertiary level, foster cross-cultural awareness, enhance exchanges between cultures, and strengthen business synergies between Italy and Ireland.

“Italian at NUI Galway is committed to offer innovative curricula, employing multimedia technologies and related skills developed during years of training and experience in the teaching of Italian as a second language. It is also looking forward to sharing this knowledge with the post primary school sector, establishing effective and productive collaboration between the university and schools in Galway.”

The President of NUI Galway, Dr Jim Browne, and the Ambassador of Italy, Dr Maurizio Zanini, will award certificates of attendance to the students on Friday, 11 May at a ceremony in Galway.