“College fees seem an inevitable solution to the country’s third-level funding crisis, an international education expert has said …” (more)
[Joyce Fegan, Irish Examiner, 31 October]
“‘Study now, pay later’ system of student loans is an ‘inevitable’ part of a funding package for higher education if Ireland wants to deliver quality to the growing number of college entrants. Bahram Bekhradnia, president of the UK-based Higher Education Policy Institute, said it was a ‘bad arrangement’ to have the student registration charge, without a loan scheme to assist students …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 31 October]
“European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy, who dropped out of college in the 90s, has denied he received special treatment to allow him to complete his degree at UCC without attending a single lecture …” (more)
[Eoin English, Irish Examiner, 31 October]
“Paddy Hayes knows the fears of homeowners who live near major colleges and universities. He has learned to dread bank holidays, freshers’ week, rag week, Christmas and most major sporting occasions involving an Irish team …” (more)
[Ralph Riegel, Independent, 31 October]
“Enda Kenny’s ‘hail-fellow-well-met’ persona didn’t go down too well when he met with the academic Fellows of Trinity College Dublin. The Taoiseach’s speech-making style has come under scrutiny in the wake of his now infamous ‘Army at the ATMs’ comments in Madrid last week …” (more)
[Fionnan Sheahan, Independent, 31 October]
“On the list of reasons a grant application might be rejected, most researchers would put ‘typesetting’ fairly low. Hence the amazement when Susannah Maidment, a palaeontologist at Imperial College London, announced on social media that her fellowship application had been thrown out for being in the wrong font …” (more)
[Daniel Cressey, Nature, 29 October]
“Do you feel you have a contribution to make for how theory and methods are used in higher education research? The editors of the book series Theory and Method in Higher Education Research, Prof Jeroen Huisman (Ghent University, Belgium) and Prof Malcolm Tight (Lancaster University, UK), are now seeking a few additional contributions to complete the 2016 volume …” (more)
[HEDDA, 30 October]
“The Government may not be entirely disappointed that this week’s publication of the latest report on how third level education might be funded probably means that any real — and more than likely very unpopular — decisions on the incendiary issue will fall to the next administration …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 30 October]
“‘Study now, pay later’ models for higher education fees would lead to an ‘astronomical increase’ in costs for students, the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has said. ‘Look at any country that has introduced such a model’, USI president Kevin Donoghue said …” (more)
[Ellie O’Byrne, Irish Examiner, 30 October]
“The alleged anti-social behaviour of students in Cork, over the Jazz Festival weekend, was the subject of discussion on a local radio chat show this Tuesday. I was surprised to hear the host say that he asked a ‘senior member of An Garda Siochana’ what he considered of garda inaction in such cases …” (more)
[Michael Moriarty, Irish Examiner, 30 October]
“A regulatory authority with powers to control student fee levels is under consideration, as part of wider moves on third-level funding reform …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 30 October]
“‘The single most important factor preventing change in higher education is tenure.’ Wow. That was the sentiment expressed in 2010 by Mark C Taylor, then chair of Columbia University’s department of religion, and every critic of higher education in the United States seemed to agree with him …” (more)
[Sol Gittleman, Washington Post, 29 October]
“NUI Galway are continuing to pursue a legalistic and confrontational attitude to female employees seeking equal treatment which is openly flouting the aims of Gender Equality Review currently being carried out for the HEA by former EU Commissioner, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, according to the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) …” (more)
[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 26 October]
“… we are pleased to offer a Research Policy Internship Post for 9 months, based at the Higher Education Authority offices in Ballsbridge, Dublin 4. Please see the PDF below for further information …” (more)
[Irish Research Council, 29 October]
“The Chinese Ministry of Education has approved a joint degree in design between Athlone Institute of Technology and Jianghan University in Wuhan, China. One hundred students have commenced on the programme in China …” (more)
[Athlone Advertiser, 29 October]
“A group set up to advise the government about financing the cost of college education is looking at a ‘study now, pay later’ option, according to the Irish Independent …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 29 October]
“In earlier posts I’ve covered both the award of honorary degrees and the revocation of the same. Revocation is rather unusual but does seem to be on the rise as unfortunate histories come to the surface …” (more)
[Paul Greatrix, Wonkhe, 29 October]
“Higher education got short shrift in the recent Budget and the amount set aside for college buildings was derisory. All the Budget did was postpone the day when serious investment will have to be made – up to €1bn annually – within a relatively short time, an increase of 50% on present funding, according to a new report …” (more)
[John Walshe, Independent, 29 October]
“Politicians often seek to achieve a populist shift that will garner support and yield a mass of votes. The decision to abolish third-level fees seemed like a good idea at the time – especially from the point of view of shoring up political capital. With hindsight, it has not served education well …” (more)
[Editorial, Independent, 29 October]
“From teaching refugees about Irish history and society, to a census of Arabic speakers on campus, a grassroots group of staff and students at UCC is planning a range of initiatives to welcome arriving refugees in the coming months …” (more)
[Jennifer Hough, Irish Examiner, 29 October]
