Ninth Level Ireland

“It costs more to publish an article in a humanities or social sciences (HSS) journal than to publish one in a science, technical, or medical (STM) journal – over three times as much, according to a report soon to be released by the National Humanities Alliance in the United States. The full report is to be released as soon as possible, according to NHA committee chairman William E. Davis. In the meantime, a summary by Jennifer Howard in July 20th’s Chronicle of Higher Education [subscription required] has been generating much discussion and comment …” (more)

[Aoife Geraghty, Read Around Research, 27 August]

“Points for virtually all popular higher-level degree courses are unchanged in the second round of CAO offers published this morning. The trend will disappoint thousands of students hoping to win places on the most popular courses. The courses to see a substantial drop in points are those in electrical engineering and architecture in several universities. Architecture is down five points to 500 at UCD. Landscape architecture is down from 370 to 355. Points for some nursing degrees have also dropped marginally in some colleges. But there is broadly little change in many hugely popular choices like teaching and general arts and business degrees …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 28 August]

“It’s that time of year again when well-meaning people I know will say something like this to me: ‘ I expect you are now getting busy again.’ I usually nod politely and bite my lip. Well yes, we are busy, but frankly we’ve been pretty busy throughout the summer, and I expect this is true all over the Irish university system. In university life as in other professions there are times and seasons, but really no period (except for the week between Christmas and New Year, and perhaps the first week of August) when nothing much is happening in academic life …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 27 August]

“Points for virtually all popular higher-level degree courses are unchanged in the second round of CAO offers published this morning. The trend will disappoint thousands of students hoping to win places on the most popular courses. The courses to see a substantial drop in points are those in electrical engineering and architecture in several universities. Architecture is down five points to 500 at UCD. Landscape architecture is down from 370 to 355. Points for some nursing degrees have also dropped marginally in some colleges. But there is broadly little change in many hugely popular choices like teaching and general arts and business degrees …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 28 August]

“Madam, – We are extremely concerned over a number of inaccuracies which are currently distorting the debate on the mechanisms of admission to medical schools in Ireland. The change in the medical school entry process arose from the recommendation in the Government-commissioned Fottrell report on medical education in 2006, stating that the ‘Leaving Certificate results should no longer be the sole selection mechanism for undergraduate student’ …” (more)

[Dermot Kelleher, Irish Times, 28 August]

“A 30% rise in the number of mature student applicants to the CAO means Leaving Cert students will find it harder this year to get the course they want when the second round offers come out tomorrow. A total of 73,982 people applied through the CAO for a third-level course this year — around 5,000 more than last year, 3,000 of which were mature students. In 2008, 9,349 mature students applied for a course — that number increased this year to 12,291 …” (more)

[BreakingNews.ie, 27 August]

“Total public expenditure this year will be about €64 billion, with funds under unprecedented pressure. Special case arguments can be made for most sub-heads. So why should the public investment in Science Technology and Innovation (STI) receive special consideration? The basic reason is that it is an essential investment in the future productive capacity of the country. Three quarters of our annual budget is to sustain current services, social needs, health and general standard of living, ie spending for today. One quarter is investment in our future: 12 per cent on physical infrastructure, 13 per cent on education and 1 per cent on STI …” (more)

[Patrick Cunningham, Irish Times, 27 August]

“There are no ‘hidden bombs or traps’ in the Lisbon Treaty, according to NUI Galway president Jim Browne who is urging the people of Galway to vote yes in the upcoming referendum. Speaking at the launch of Galway for Europe, which was held at No 8 Bar, Dock Road, last Tuesday evening, Prof Browne said that a Yes vote to Lisbon was good for Ireland as it would keep the country at the heart of the European Union project and not on the periphery …” (more)

[Martina Nee, Galway Advertiser, 27 August]

“The children of top-earning medical, legal and health professionals disproportionately continue to dominate entry to university courses in those fields, despite widening of access in other study areas. Figures from the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which oversees access policies in third-level colleges, show that almost one-in-three first-year medical school students in medicine last autumn came from professional family backgrounds, such as doctors, solicitors, barristers, engineers and pharmacists …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 27 August]

“The number of students signing up for college has already reached an all-time high – even before the second round of CAO offers comes out tomorrow. By the end of round one, a total of 42,917 applicants had accepted course offers, which is more than the total number of acceptances at the end of the offer season last year – 42,120. As well as trying to ‘ride’ out the recession in college, many students are trying to get a ‘free year’ before fees or loans are introduced from 2010 onwards …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 27 August]

“The readers debate the thorny issue of minimum requirement for academics. The PhD is still seen by many as the key to an academic career – a minimum requirement without which entry to the profession should not be permitted. Yet, in reality, there are large numbers of people working in higher education who do not possess a doctorate. When a recent study raised concerns about the proportion of teaching staff falling into this camp, the issue sparked a prolonged online debate …” (more)

[Ciaran Jones, Times Higher Education, 27 August]

“In response to Dick Barton’s brief assault (Letters, August 22) on the health professions admission test (HPAT) system, I feel it necessary to point out a few facts. One of Mr Barton’s concerns seems to be that people ‘might have 600 points and have a father for a doctor but be rejected if they fail it’ (HPAT). Personality is not hereditary, and neither is ability …” (more)

[Mary Collins, Irish Examiner, 27 August]

“College-bound students are deserting property-related courses – and now property courses are being cut. Estate agents’ body IAVI isn’t admitting any first-years into its four-year BSc and two-year higher certificate courses in property studies, the two part-time courses it runs in Bolton Street. And GMIT has suspended the first year intake of its BSc in property studies on the basis of insufficient CAO demand. Students already following all these courses will be able to complete them …” (more)

[Irish Times, 27 August]

“In a quick follow-up to the post on this blog of last night, the Higher Education Authority has released figures that show the extent to which in Ireland the children of so-called ‘higher professionals’ (mainly doctors and lawyers) are hugely over-represented in the student body in degree programmes that lead to professional qualification. ‘Higher professionals’ make up 3 per cent of the population, but their children account for 33 per cent of medical students and 23 per cent of law students …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 26 August]

“Fees for GP and nurse services are being introduced for students at University College Dublin (UCD). The UCD student health service was previously free for students but from September 7th charges will include €25 to see a doctor, €10 to see a nurse and €40 for a psychiatric consultation. However, the student counselling service will remain free and both UCD and the students’ union emphasised this was important. In an e-mail to all students, UCD said it was no longer possible to maintain the way it funded the service in the current economic climate …” (more)

[Genevieve Carbery, Irish Times, 27 August]

“Madam, – Correspondents to your paper calling for a 50:50 ratio of male and female students in medical schools may have information I have not been able to find. What is the ratio of males to females applying for places? The CAO would not tell me for reasons of confidentiality when I asked years ago, but anecdotal evidence I gathered suggested more girls than boys applied. The HPat test was devised apparently, to increase the number of boys getting places. I regret that any form of gender discrimination was brought in by a Minister for Education, particularly a female one, Mary Hanafin …” (more)

[Mary Henry, Irish Times, 27 August]

“The sons and daughters of higher professional classes are hogging entry to university courses to become doctors, vets, lawyers or pharmacists. Children of doctors, engineers and solicitors and similar socio-economic groups are dominating participation in the most prestigious degree programmes. Little has changed in the past decade and students from lower social classes are still not getting their share of places on those courses …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 27 August]

“In my humble opinion, the health professions admission test (HPAT) for entry to medical school is completely inappropriate. It has been conceived, developed and administered by a private overseas organisation which has no connection whatsoever with this state. The Department of Education is simply buying a service from this organisation and has effectively washed its hands of any responsibility for the administration and integrity of the test. Does any independent body act as external examiner with regard to the test? What standards apply to the test and how is it audited? …” (more)

[Enda Fallon, Irish Examiner, 27 August]

“I am strongly in favour of the HPAT aptitude tests for medicine, law and engineering. I qualified for medicine in my teens and dropped out after a costly and frustrating year at UCC, along with several equally unsuitable students …” (more)

[Hugh Morley, Irish Examiner, 27 August]

“Anglo-American dominance of the international student market could be challenged by the emergence of new global power blocks in higher education. This is the view of Don Olcott, chief executive of the Observatory of Borderless Higher Education, who has coined the term ‘new global regionalism’ to describe a process that is likely to have an impact on the long-term flow of students into the UK and US. ‘Are we really naive enough to think that China, India, Malaysia, South Korea, the Gulf states and others do not want to build long-term, high-quality, sustainable university systems in their countries and regions to serve their students?’ he said …” (more)

[Phil Baty, Times Higher Education, 27 August]