Almost 91 per cent of NUI Galway's 2008 graduates are in work or further education almost a year after completing their primary degrees.
Preliminary figures from the university's 2008 graduates' survey show that the number of graduates seeking employment stands at 3.7 per cent while the number of postgraduate students seeking work stands at 4.7 per cent.
However, the survey also indicates that the number of students choosing to remain in education is on the rise. Some 51 per cent of primary degree graduates and 27 per cent of postgraduate students have gone onto further education or training, the highest recorded figure amongst graduates in recent years.
A further 5.4 per cent of undergraduates and 4.9 per cent of postgraduates were not available for work.
Head of the Career Development Centre for NUI Galway, John Hannon said that the statistics were positive.
"At a time when national unemployment figures approach 12 per cent, we are delighted to see that NUI Galway graduates have particularly high standing among employers," he said. "Students who take postgraduate diplomas, masters and PhDs not only enhance their learning; they gain additional evidence of transferable skills that improve employability such as problem-solving, teamwork, communication and leadership".
The data contained in the preliminary report is from an annual survey of graduates on NUI Galway full-time programmes. 62 per cent of graduates participated in the 2008 survey, which was carried out nine months after graduation.