Eight RCSI students were among those awarded the prestigious 2015 Dr H. H. Stewart Medical Scholarships and prizes by the National University of Ireland (NUI) this month.

At the ceremony, which took place in the Royal Hospital Kilmainham on 10 November, the Chancellor of NUI, Dr Maurice Manning, presented awards valued in excess of €850,000 to graduates and students of NUI.

There were eight RCSI awardees of Dr H. H. Stewart Medical Scholarships and Prizes, double the number of awards made to RCSI recipients in 2014. These were Oludare Alabi, (Scholarship winner, Anatomy); Zahraa Al-Sharshani, (2nd Prize, Anatomy); Sharon Kennedy (3rd Prize, General Practice); Ali Almoanen, RCSI Bahrain, (2nd Prize, Medicine); Sarah Schimansky (2nd Prize, Ophthalmology); Danyal Khan (2nd Prize, Physiology); Ciarán Carney (2nd Prize, Pharmacy); and Kieron Connolly, (2nd Prize, Physiotherapy).

Speaking at the event, Dr Manning congratulated the award recipients and commended their scholarly distinction and "outstanding academic achievement". He highlighted the importance of promoting scholars and scholarship as a core aim of NUI, and stated that the University is "very pleased to be able to offer this level of support for academic achievement and through its awards to provide opportunities for able students to engage in further studies".

More than 120 students and graduates from the NUI member institutions received awards at the ceremony. RCSI, UCD, UCC, Maynooth University, NUI Galway, St Angela's College and NCAD were represented by award recipients.