Casting the spotlight back to the Education Awards 2026, University of Galway has been named winner of the Best Collaboration Award – Domestic (Public Good, Culture & Social Impact), recognised earlier this year for the Empathy Studio, a research-led, interdisciplinary initiative that embeds empathy across curriculum and industry partnerships through a sustainable co-creation model built with external organisations and lived-experience contributors.

The Empathy Studio represents a significant example of education innovation in Irish higher education, moving well beyond the one-off engagement model that characterises many collaborative initiatives to establish something more durable and more genuinely mutual. 

By bringing together students, staff, partners, and people with lived experience to co-design immersive learning approaches including role play, observation, and experiential activities, the initiative creates the conditions for participants to explore diverse perspectives and translate empathy into meaningful educational and professional practice.

The depth and coherence of the collaboration is what gave the submission its particular strength. Strong evaluation frameworks and significant reach demonstrate an initiative that has been built with the rigour expected of research excellence, while the involvement of lived-experience contributors ensures that the learning it generates is grounded in authentic human insight rather than theoretical abstraction.

For a university operating at the heart of Ireland's west, the Empathy Studio's impact on public good and social change carries particular resonance, demonstrating how Ireland universities can extend their influence beyond the campus to shape professional culture and promote social understanding across the wider community.

Judges were unambiguous in their assessment. "This initiative demonstrates depth and coherence, moving beyond one-off engagements to establish a sustainable co-creation model with external organisations and lived-experience contributors. With strong evaluation and significant reach, it fosters mutual learning and makes a meaningful impact on public good and social change," the panel stated.

The Education Awards 2026 gala took place on 16 April at the Johnstown Estate, Enfield, Co. Meath. 

For the complete 2026 winners list, category insights, and institution profiles, visit the official Education Awards website and subscribe to the newsletter for updates and insights.