“Reports suggest that third level fees in form of increase in registration fees by several hundred, maybe up to as much as €3000, may come in budget …” (discussion thread)
[Politics.ie, 31 October]
“There is growing speculation that next month’s Budget will contain an increase in registration fees by around €1,000 or even doubled by €1,500 to €3,000 for next year …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 31 October]
“The Law Society of Ireland (LSI) has defended its practice of educating hundreds of student solicitors despite a massive decline in the number of jobs available in the profession …” (more)
[Mark Hilliard, Tribune, 31 October]
“The owners of the Corrib Great Southern Hotel in Galway have applied to have the site used as student accommodation three years after its closure. The hotel, on the old Dublin Road, will now be used for higher-educational purposes and research ventures …” (more)
[Jennifer Bray, Tribune, 31 October]
“While universities were digesting the results of the three major world rankings, the European U-Multirank consortium launched a study into a new multi-dimensional global ranking aimed at comparing similar institutions and programmes in terms of their missions and profiles …” (more)
[Jan Petter Myklebust, University World News, 31 October]
“A ranking of French universities according to their graduates’ job prospects has been published by the Ministry for Higher Education and Research and welcomed by Minister Valérie Pécresse. But the exercise has been criticised by a specialist in graduate employment rates, the body representing university presidents, and by a national students’ federation …” (more)
[Jane Marshall, University World News, 31 October]
“Universities across Europe are attempting to sharpen their distinctive profiles in response to an era of multiple reforms and deep cuts in government spending …” (more)
[Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 31 October]
“… Casus belli for the academic community are plans to replace elected university rectors with technocrat managers from outside the academic community; the appointment of foreign academics as rectors of Greek universities; and the replacement of the state financial commitment with private funds …” (more)
[Makki Marseilles, University World News, 31 October]
“An unprecedented 74,234 candidates had completed applications for courses beginning in the autumn of 2011, more than ever before at such an early stage. Up to 220,000 candidates could be left without places next summer if the 4.2% year-on-year rise in applications continues …” (more)
[University World News, 31 October]
“Today, many people think the notion of diversity in higher education is under threat in Europe – that under the pressure of a pan-continental higher education area, the expansion of the English language as a means of instruction …” (more)
[Alex Usher, University World News, 31 October]
“India’s National Knowledge Commission chairman Sam Pitroda last week stressed the need to deregulate education, calling it the need of the hour …” (more)
[University World News, 31 October]
“… A sizeable majority of Irish people want the Croke Park agreement torn up immediately, according to the latest Sunday Independent/Quantum Research nationwide poll. 60% of those polled felt there needed to be a radical overhaul of public service numbers, wages, working conditions and pensions – in fact everything should be revisited …” (more)
[Daniel McConnell, Independent, 31 October]
“As English universities face up to what looks like a very challenging funding environment, Oxford University has disclosed that it has raised £1 billion from alumni and supporters and that it will use some of this money to fund its traditional one-on-one tutorial system …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 31 October]
