The first scheme of its kind in Irish higher education, EXPLORE is an innovation initiative that provides funding and a support framework for NUI Galway students and staff to collaborate and bring innovative, new ideas to life in a short space of time. To date, over 600 students and staff have delivered 100 new ideas, not only on campus, but also nationally and internationally. EXPLORE projects have gone on to secure prestigious external funding of over €290,000.

• NUI Galway and NUI Galway Students’ Union joined forces in early 2012 to pilot EXPLORE with the aim of:
• Encouraging innovation and creativity at NUI Galway
• Fostering a new way of working – staff and students collaborating as equal partners
• Engaging students and staff to have a greater say on campus
• Developing transferable skills to benefit students, staff and the University

EXPLORE disrupts traditional campus relationships and gives participants ‘permission’ to work differently with one another and to experiment with new ideas. It encourages experimentation and acknowledges that the innovation journey, and the process, lessons learned and relationships formed are a valuable end result.