Perhaps it is the touch of a Taoiseach, who flew in last week to dig a ceremonial sod for its new £30 million building programme. Whatever the reason, NUI Galway is exuberant about its latest graduate statistics. "Almost 25 per cent more in employment," it says. "The world at their feet!"
The figures, for 1997, show that some 58.8 per cent of those who graduated that year are in employment, with only 2.3 per cent seeking jobs - the lowest on record in that category. Some 3.2 per cent are in the happy position of "not seeking employment"; they are said to be reviewing career plans or taking a year out abroad.
However, some 20.8 per cent don't want to leave those groves of academe. They are listed as undertaking additional study or research, and another 10.9 per cent are on professional or vocational training. The remaining 4.3 per cent have gone on to teaching. "The overall figures reflect a substantial increase in employment, with a decrease in those undertaking additional studies", Mr Peter Keane, NUI Galway's careers officer, says.
Of those who have completed a postgraduate degree, more than 76 per cent are in employment. Of those who completed postgraduate diplomas, 92 per cent have gone directly into jobs. A similar figure applies to those employed after teacher training.
Mr Keane reports a substantial increase in vacancies notified to the college careers service by employers, and also in graduate recruitment by small and medium enterprises, both locally and nationally. He says the careers service will increase its employer visiting programme this autumn to make industry more aware of what NUI Galway graduates have to offer.
He believes that Ireland is moving towards a "new age of continuous learning", with people taking responsibility for learning throughout their lives, thereby "maintaining their employability".