Health & Wellbeing

NUI Galway recognises that the health of the campus community is the University’s most valuable resource, and is focused on creating a healthier, happier and safer campus for students, staff and the wider community. Each of the 17 SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are related to healh & wellbeing in one way or another, and we understand that we can't be a sustainable campus without being a healthy campus.

Our NUI Galway Sustainability Strategy 2021-2025 aims to improve the health and wellbeing of our students in everyday living. We recognise that good health involves looking after all dimensions of your wellbeing; physical, social and mental. The University will ensure access and availability to programmes and resources that contribute to the health and wellbeing of our students and staff.

four people rowing in the river at sunset

Photo by Prof. Chaosheng Zhang

Physical Health

The Sport and Recreation Unit has a mission to promote participation in sport and physical activities by all students and staff. Make use of the state of the art facilities in NUIG's Kingfisher Gym and Swimming pool! The outdoor sports facilities just north of the campus cater to all athletics and field sports.

There are 45 active Sports Clubs at NUI Galway, along with many Societies promoting physical activity and positive lifestyle choices such as Bike Gang, Cheerleading, Lotus and Sláinte.

NUI Galway offers a Student Health Unit, providing on-campus medical care to full-time registered students in a confidential, professional and courteous manner.

The NUI Galway Biodiversity Trail is not only an educational resource, but a recreational resource too! We encourage students and staff to explore the trail and exercise while taking in the beauty of the natural environment.

Social Health

There are over 100 active Student Societies and 45 Clubs at NUI Galway. Students are encouraged to get involved in clubs and societies of interest to them, in order to make like-minded friends and develop new skills.

The Safe Campus Programme is an initiative designed to raise awareness about maintaining a safe campus and raising awareness of personal safety wherever we are. The #SafeCampus campaign aims to communiate a number of support areas including Smart Consent (NUI Galway's Sexual Health and Support Initiative: Research, Workshops and Campaigns), home and personal safety, Smoke-Free Zones and Green Campus.

NUI Galway are leading a national conversation on sexual consent training. Students are welcome to participate in research, workshops and engage with a fantastic programme that is helping to transform our relationships. Active* Consent uses workshops, drama, video, and research to engage with young people, to have positive and confident sexual health and well-being.

The CARA Connect Programme aims to support the power of conversation and connection. This programme is a peer buddy system, where students are matched together to meet up for conversation, games, and a bit of fun! The system helps participants to increase social interactions and form new friendships with other students and their peers.

Mental Health

NUI Galway recognises the importance of strengthening mental health and resilience among our students.

Free Counselling Services are available to all students.

Weekly mindfulness sessions are offered to students and staff through Mindful Way at NUI Galway. Mindfulness is a practice that teaches us to be fully present and engaged in each moment of our lives. Although we are often unaware of our train of thoughts, it has a profound effect on how we live our lives, as well on our mental and emotional health. With mindfulness we become better at paying attention, being more focused, more self-aware and less reactive.

Seas Suas is a student-to-student awareness and encouragement programme encouraging students to be aware of each other’s health and wellbeing through events and training.

Wellness Recovery Action Planning WRAP® has been a very successful initiative available in NUI Galway through the Student Health Unit. WRAP is a self-management and recovery system developed by a group of people who had mental health difficulties and who were struggling to incorporate wellness tools and strategies into their lives. It also includes plans for responses from others when you cannot make decisions, take care of yourself, or keep yourself safe.

Creidim is a mutual support group of past participants of WRAP. Participants are invited to partake in weekly "meet-up"s, where topics, activities and discussion are decided and driven by students.

The Chaplaincy service offers pastoral care, welfare support and spiritual guidance to the students and staff of NUI Galway.