TU Dublin Tallaght Campus Handbook for International Students
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Technological University Dublin ( TU Dublin Tallaght Campus) 1 Handbook for Exchange Students Table of Contents Some essential facts about Ireland ............................................................................ 4 Climate & Clothing ................................................................................... 5 The English language in Ireland ..................................................................................... 6 Dublin ........................................................................................................... 6 Technological University Dublin ( TU Dublin Tallaght Campus) .......... 7 Getting to TU Dublin Tallaght Campus ................................................................... 7 From Dublin airport to TU Dublin Tallaght Campus .................................... 10 Driving in Ireland .................................................................................................................... 133 Accommodation .................................................................................................................. 134 Registration and Induction ............................................................................................ 177 Beyond the College ............................................................................................................. 26 General Information ............................................................................................................. 33 Checklist - don’t leave home without… ............................................................... 35 Other useful websites ........................................................................................................... 36 Fáilte Ireland ............................................................................................................................... 36 2 To all our visiting exchange students: We welcome you warmly to TU Dublin Tallaght Campus. The purpose of this handbook is to provide practical information as you prepare for your short stay in Ireland. Please also check out our website www.it-tallaght.ie because it will have all the latest up-to-date information about courses, academic calendar, etc. Your home university may have told you what to expect during your study period abroad. This handbook builds on what you already know; essential facts and tips that are relevant to an exchange student not usually resident in Ireland. We hope that your stay her will be a pleasant one, and that your time at TU Dublin Tallaght Campus will benefit you personally, professionally and (of course) academically. 3 Essential facts about Ireland Ireland has a population of just over 4.5 million people, 25% of whom live in the greater Dublin area. The long established trend of emigration has now been reversed and it is estimated that people from 160 nations have made their home here. Although geographically on the periphery of Europe, the Irish people have traditionally been quite pro-European since Ireland joined the then EEC in 1973. Ireland’s Head of State is President Michael CC BY-SA 3.0, by: Andrein D. Higgins. The Head of Government or “Taoiseach” is Mr Leo Varadkar. Irish people are quite proud of their Celtic roots. In fact, the Celts may have arrived here as early as the 6th century B.C. They were, of course, followed much later by the Vikings, the Anglo-Normans and the English. Christianity was introduced in the 6th century AD and monasteries soon became not just the centre of religious life, they were also important seats of learning. Some monasteries even received students from abroad. Irish monks then travelled through Europe, establishing monasteries and centres of learning as they went. Irish Universities and Institutes of Technology continue the tradition of higher education and proudly welcome a growing number of international students, who follow in the footsteps of those early travelling scholars. At TU Dublin Tallaght Campus we welcomed around 300 international students during 2017-2018. Climate & Clothing You have probably heard a lot about the Irish weather before your arrival here! And you will notice that the weather is a frequent topic of conversation in everyday life. We have a mild, moist climate and rarely experience radically high or low temperatures. There is no real pattern to the Irish climate and sometimes we experience all four seasons in one day. We are ill equipped for extremely cold temperatures and also cope badly in very high 4 temperatures! Autumn can be quite sunny during the day with mist descending in the evening. During the winter months we experience sharp winds and frosty nights. The coldest months are January – March with daytime temperatures between 4°C and 8°C. There is often snow on hilltops and mountains, and sometimes in the cities – this usually causes traffic chaos. Spring can be quite chilly, with prolonged rain. July, August and September are usually the warmest months, averaging temperatures of 14°C -16°C . It is a good idea to wear layers of clothing so you can adapt to the daily temperature variations. Always have an umbrella and/or rain gear with you. You will probably be surprised at how few people wear hats, scarves, and gloves in the cold winter months and amazed at how quickly we wear T-shirts as soon as a sunray appears. The English language in Ireland Initially, you may be surprised at how different Hiberno-English sounds compared to the English you have learned in class, or what you have heard on American or British TV channels. In this variety of English you will find minor differences in the pronunciation, intonation and some minor items of vocabulary. When you travel to other parts of Ireland you will find that there are also many accents of Irish English. The Irish Language Many people arrive in Ireland thinking that Irish is a dialect of the English language. In fact the Irish language derived from Celtic roots, unlike English, which is from the Saxon family of languages. Approximately 4% of the population speak Irish (Gaelic) as their first language in everyday life. The Gaeltacht areas where Irish is still the first language are located in the North- West (Co. Donegal), West (Co. Mayo and Connemara, Co. Gaeilge (Irish) English equivalent Galway), South West (Co. Kerry Baile Átha Cliath Dublin and Co. Cork) and Co. Meath. An Lár City Centre Although you may not hear Dia duit Hi there Irish being spoken in Dublin, Go raibh maith agat Thank you Fáilte Welcome you will encounter some Irish Slán Bye language mainly in the form of Fir Men’s toilets street names, road signs, bus Mná Ladies’ toilets destinations, toilets, and the Sláinte Cheers occasional spoken expression. 5 Here are some basic expressions in Irish: Dublin Home to over one million people, Dublin is a vibrant, dynamic European city. It is alive with theatres, restaurants, museums, galleries, shops, pubs and nightclubs. In the urban centre it is hard to miss evidence of this fine city’s historic past. From the remains of Viking settlements, through rows of elegant Georgian houses, to the streets and buildings referred to by Joyce, Dublin is where the past meets the present. Many global companies have a base in Ireland, including Google, Facebook, Microsoft, Paypal, eBay and LinkedIn. Dublin is well-established as a European hub for numerous high-tech companies. For many years, the works of Beckett, Yeats, Wilde and Joyce have been a source of pride for the Irish nation. Our rich literary heritage has also inspired many contemporary Irish writers, who have received international critical acclaim in their own right. The works of playwright Brian Friel, poet Seamus Heaney and novelists Roddy Doyle and Patrick Mc Cabe add continued vibrancy to this sector. Useful maps can be found here: http://www.dublintourist.com/maps/ Tallaght A suburb of Dublin, Tallaght itself is actually larger than the other Irish cities of Limerick or Galway, with a population of 100,000. Over 1,000 companies are based in Tallaght, including UPS, Nestlé, Loctite and United Drug, to name but a few. Although now a thoroughly modern urban area, the tradition of studying in Tallaght goes back as far as 769 AD when St. Maelruain founded a 6 monastery here. This scholastic tradition is continued today in the purpose built Institute of Technology, which opened in 1992. Tallaght is practically a city in itself. The facilities include: The Square shopping centre (over 100 shops), 12-screen cinema, theatre, dozens of pubs/clubs, hotels & restaurants, bowling, gyms, swimming pools, public library, internet café, 3 public parks, a number of smaller shopping centres and retail parks. TU Dublin – Tallaght The parkland campus (circa 15 hectares) is nestled in the heart of Tallaght village and has cinemas, restaurants, bars, banks, hotels, shops and a theatre on its doorstep. The TU Dublin Tallaght Campus is a modern, purpose-built complex in a tranquil, green setting. Natural light streams in to all areas of the college. Many classrooms and common areas overlook leafy courtyards; others have views of landscaped green areas, making this a very pleasant learning environment. It is easy to find your way around the building as room numbers indicate their location. Rooms starting with 0 (e.g. 020) are on the ground floor, those starting with 1 (e.g. 124) are on the first floor and those starting with 2 (e.g. 210) are on the second floor. Furthermore, each staircase is colour coded so you will easily remember which one to take. There is another large classroom