Courses
ATU and University of Galway students collaborate to make Galway a better student city
Students from Atlantic Technological University (ATU) and the University of Galway took part in the Innovate4Sustainability hackathon recently at PorterShed a Dó. The one-day event invited students to design innovative solutions under the theme “Make Galway a Better Student City.”
Students explored how to reduce loneliness, improve rental market experience, support cultural integration and strengthen students’ connection with Galway’s natural environment.
Organised by ATU in collaboration with the University of Galway IdeasLab and supported by RISE@ATU, the hackathon brought together 21 students from a range of disciplines to explore everyday challenges faced by Galway students.
Teams developed their concepts, gathered public feedback, and presented their proposals to a judging panel that included representatives from both universities and Galway City Council.
The winning team, Galway Mate, consisted of Tejas Juwekar, Priyanka Chavan, and Gokul Natarajan from the University of Galway, along with Camillo Murgio from ATU. Their proposal outlined a community platform designed to help international students settle into Galway through shared experiences, social activities, and peer-to-peer support.
The runner-up team, FáilteHome, created a concept for a student-to-student housing app designed to improve trust and transparency in the rental sector. The app would allow students to access reliable accommodation information based on peer reviews and lived experience, helping them navigate the Galway housing market more confidently.
From the FáilteHome team, Dipshikha Das, an ATU PhD student, said:
“As part of the theme ‘Galway: A Student City’, I had a great time engaging with others and understanding different perspectives on solving sustainable, student-driven challenges. The networks and connections built through such events always have a lasting impact, with ideas driven by a collective energy and passion for finding solutions. Overall, it was a memorable and motivating experience.”
Another team, consisting of Janhvi Rai, Abdullah Haider Ali, and Santiago Garciayala, explored the wider student experience. Their work focused on international student loneliness, the need for informal social spaces, better access to Irish culture, and opportunities to reconnect with Galway’s natural environment.
Event organiser Dr Jack Saad of ATU highlighted the significance of the collaboration:
“What made this day really special for me was seeing Galway’s students, from both sides of the river, working together as one community. When we talk about sustainability, we are not just talking about climate or energy; we are talking about people, friendships, and the way our universities choose to collaborate. The energy and teamwork in the room gave us all a lot of hope.”
Andrea Fassbender of IdeasLab added:
“We were pleased to expand our Innovate4Sustainability programme to host the first joint sustainability-themed hackathon with Atlantic Technological University. The students, guest speakers, mentors and judges helped create a day full of curiosity, collaboration and creativity. It has been a pleasure to work with Dr Jack Saad, and we are delighted that this collaboration was supported by the Higher Education Authority.”
Featured Image: Group photo of staff and students who attended the Innovate4Sustainaibilty Hackathon from University of Galway and ATU.
