“Concerns that a ministerial order on copyright mirrors the Stop Online Piracy Act (Sopa) in the United States ‘are not based on fact’, Minister of State Seán Sherlock has insisted. Mr Sherlock said the US proposals could not be introduced in the EU, where the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights had to be applied …” (more)
[Marie O'Halloran and Michael O'Regan, Irish Times, 31 January]
“… In an article explaining its conclusions, published jointly in Science and Nature today, the committee says ‘revolutionary’ advances in scientists’ ability to manipulate microbial genomes have brought the life sciences to a ‘crossroads’ similar to that faced by physics in the wake of nuclear weapons research in the 1940s …” (more)
[Paul Jump, Times Higher Education, 31 January]
“A former student of IT Carlow has now taken over the position of president of the institute. Carlow woman Dr Patricia Mulcahy, who studied at the IT, has stepped into the top job after 12 years as head of development at the college …” (more)
[Clare Minnock, The Nationalist, 31 January]
“Ahead of this evening’s Dail debate on the statutory instrument that amends the Copyright Act 2000, two of the leaders behind the Stop SOPA Ireland petition – Michele Neylon and TJ McIntyre – answer Siliconrepublic.com’s questions on impending changes to Ireland’s copyright laws …” (more)
[John Kennedy, Silicon Republic, 31 January]
“… And yet, this speech set down a fundamentally different approach to higher education than the one we’ve been following. So, is it to be the mantelpiece and periodic dusting until it’s safe to bin the work or is there another approach? I think there is and I think that socialists and other progressives had better get their thinking caps on …” (more)
[Colum McCaffery’s Weblog, 31 January]
“Many scientists were miffed by the introduction of the Research Works Act, which would roll back the US government’s open access policy for research it funds. Some of that annoyance was directed toward the commercial publishers that were supporting the bill. That, combined with a series of grievances about the pricing policies of one publisher, Elsevier, has now led a number of scientists to start a boycott …” (more)
[John Timmer, Ars Technica, 31 January]
“The body of a man has been recovered from a river at the University of Ulster (UU) in Coleraine. He was taken from the water near Cromore Road, behind a building on the campus …” (more)
[Independent, 31 January]
“Scottish universities have seen a dip in the number of applicants from England and Northern Ireland, but a rise in applicants from other EU countries, who, like their Scottish counterparts, will not be charged tuition fees …” (more)
[Kirsty Scott, Guardian, 31 January]
“Just last week, the five institutes of technology (ITs) in Ireland’s border, midlands and west (BMW) region announced their plan create a technological university there. Now the heads of the ITs in Limerick, Tralee and Cork have also announced their plans to create a Munster Technological University (MTU), with the aim of strengthening the region’s educational prowess and enhancing links with local industry …” (more)
[Carmel Doyle, Silicon Republic, 31 January]
“Three Institutes of Technology have given education minister Ruairí Quinn a new headache – by announcing their intention to come together and merge into a new technological university …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 31 January]
“Much has been said about the RWA, and the involvement of big name publishers. Less discussed, but very important for many scientists, is the role that scientific societies and their journals have, and the impact of current or future publishing practices …” (more)
[Reciprocal Space, 31 January]
“Applications from older students are in decline as fewer people feel able to risk their future on a course that can cost thousands …” (more)
[Fiona Wood, Guardian, 31 January]
“The institutes of technology in Cork, Limerick and Tralee are to apply to become the Munster Technological University. The amalgamation would make them one of four groups of institutes of technology hoping to form the technological university (TU) sector …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 31 January]
“When I read last week’s article from a parent of a first year college student, I felt both angry and embarrassed. As a lecturer I am tired of my profession being impugned as a cushy number though I’m disappointed it’s still so misunderstood …” (more)
[Irish Times, 31 January]
“Three institutes of technology in Munster yesterday announced details of plans to create a new entity with technological university status. Cork Institute of Technology, the Institute of Technology Tralee and Limerick Institute of Technology wish to form the Munster Technological University under proposals outlined in the Government’s National Strategy for Higher Education …” (more)
[Barry Roche, Irish Times, 31 January]
“Five candidates remain in the hunt for the secretary general post in the Department of Education. But curiously there is no real front runner …” (more)
[Irish Times, 31 January]
“A wider course choice and greater international recognition could be among the results of the creation of a Munster Technological University (MTU) …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 31 January]
“I once asked the Secretary of Comhairle na nOspidéal how many of its 50 reports had been enacted in full. The answer was simple: none. I was therefore surprised when the Higher Education Authority (HEA) decided to enact the report Medical education in Ireland: a new direction, known as the Fottrell report …” (more)
[Shaun McCann, Irish Times, 31 January]
“In University College Cork last year, Nobel Laureate, James Watson predicted that in the 21st century countries will only be as strong as their universities …” (more)
[Michael Murphy, Irish Times, 31 January]
“In the age of the internet, the aristocracy of commentary has been deposed. You can, if you are so minded, turn to the leader writers of the old newspapers to get a perspective on what is happening at home and abroad, but you could just as easily turn to an interactive website …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 31 January]
