Ninth Level Ireland

“The project maths syllabus has had a broadly positive effect on students’ learning but must address remaining challenges if it is to achieve its goals, according to three reports to be published today. The first research reports published on project maths outline teachers’ attitudes towards the syllabus, the standard of text books covering the curriculum and learning outcomes for students …” (more)

[Dan Griffin, Irish Times, 30 November]

“Trinity College Library Dublin and the Digital Resources and Imaging Services Department are excited to announce the launch of a new library designed specifically for the digital age. The Digital Collections is an online resource providing free Internet access to our growing collections of digitised library and special collections materials …” (more)

[Trinity College Library Dublin, 30 November]

“At a time when public budgets are very tight everywhere, the European Commission is proposing a major increase in expenditure on research, innovation and science. Speaking at the presentation of the 2012 Academy Gold Medals in Life Sciences and the Humanities in Dublin today, the European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, said there were very sound economic arguments for increased funding …” (more)

[Science.ie, 30 November]

“A large part of science policy concerns funding priorities: how to strategically employ limited resources to ensure the long-term health and productivity of the research sector. Science and technology aren’t always predictable – things change, the frontiers advance, and there is a great need for any system to be adaptable and responsive …” (more)

[Aoife McLysaght, Science Calling!, 30 November]

“Two of Derry’s best-known public figures have issued a hard-hitting statement in which they warn of the ‘great danger’ of history repeating itself on the city’s university issue. Businessman Philip O’Doherty and former Policing Board vice-chairman Denis Bradley say Derry has been ‘waiting in vain’ for more than a half a century for a university …” (more)

[Derry Journal, 30 November]

“Derry’s MP has welcomed formal confirmation of a £12million funding package for the cross-border Science Park at Fort George. ‘This is a key regional project which matters not just to Derry but the whole North West’, SDLP MP Mark Durkan said this morning after the EU funding was confirmed …” (more)

[Derry Journal, 30 November]

“Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process whereby the contract for running the Student Universal Support Ireland was awarded; the criteria used to judge the submissions of applicants submission; the system used to award points or to adjudicate on each application and the bodies or person’s who sat on the independent selection panel including its Chairperson …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 29 November]

“Deputy Jonathan O’Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an updated list, in tabular form, from Monday 26 November 2012 of the numbers of students on a county basis who have received from Student Universal Support Ireland payment of their third level grant or notification of when it is to be paid …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 29 November]

“Deputy Patrick Nulty asked if he will confirm that the student assistance fund will not expire for the 2013/2014 academic year, and that it will continue in place; his views that there is an even greater need for the fund in the present economic circumstance in view of the acute increase in the numbers of students availing or attempting to avail of the fund recently; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 29 November]

“About 70 students angry about an anticipated increase in third-level registration fees and worried about a cut in grants held a loud protest outside Labour Party TD Ciara Conway’s constituency office yesterday …” (more)

[Conor Kane, Irish Examiner, 30 November]

“Minister of State for Finance Brian Hayes has rebuked the HSE for failing to clarify the non-payment of allowances to third-year DIT biomedical science students. He was responding to Labour TD Joanna Tuffy …” (more)

[Michael O’Regan, Irish Times, 30 November]

“The switch to Project Maths in second-level schools is showing positive results for students despite a shaky start, according to a series of new reports. The studies, being published today, reveal the initiative ran into problems early on because textbooks ‘fell short’ of what was required …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 30 November]

“Students protesting against fee hikes and cuts in grants have thrown eggs at Taoiseach Enda Kenny during an event at University College Dublin. Gardai removed four people as Mr Kenny delivered a speech at the launch of the UCD Centre and Sports Complex …” (more)

[Lyndsey Telford, Independent, 29 November]

“Following its pre-legislative paper on post-16 education of September 2011 – Putting Learners at the Centre – the Scottish government has now published the Post-16 Education (Scotland) Bill …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 30 November]

“About 70 students held a protest over third-level fees and cuts in grants outside Labour Party TD Ciara Conway’s constituency office in Co Waterford yesterday …” (more)

[Conor Kane, Irish Times, 30 November]

“The fact that there are over 4500 vacancies in the ICT sector is interesting and worrying. There seems to be a view in industry that not enough Irish graduates are up to the mark and this stems from the relative unpopularity of ICT disciplines in the last decade …” (more)

[educationandstuff, 29 November]

“In the face of it, American higher education is still in rude health. In worldwide rankings more than half of the top 100 universities, and eight of the top ten, are American. The scientific output of American institutions is unparalleled. They produce most of the world’s Nobel laureates and scientific papers …” (more)

[Economist, 29 November]

“For a number of years, British academics have watched the growing disquiet among American scholars about the general trajectory of higher education in their country …” (more)

[Thomas Docherty, Chronicle of Higher Education, 29 November]

“Gap-year students are more likely to have smoked cannabis by the age of 16 than those who go straight to college, government-funded research suggests …” (more)

[Judith Burns, BBC News, 29 November]

“A research project, which was developed at the Limerick Institute of Technology, has pulled off a major international coup by being chosen to travel and be tested on the International Space Station next year …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 29 November]