“In Northern Ireland, public funding cuts to the higher education sector are jeopardising the economic future of a region that has been blighted by relatively high levels of unemployment and deprivation coupled with low levels of productivity and economic activity …” (more)
[Deirdre Heenan, Wonkhe, 29 February]
“On Thursday, the Editorial Board of The University Times pointed to the students issues at stake in the general election. The repeal of the eighth amendment is an issue that matters deeply to students, and the higher education funding question is easily one of the most important student issues in decades, given the present state of the country’s universities …” (more)
[University Times, 28 February]
“A woman in her 60s who is a wheelchair user, has issued a complaint to the University of Limerick after, she claims, she was seated in the ‘back room’ of the University Concert Hall during her graduation ceremony …” (more)
[Fintan Walsh, Limerick Leader, 28 February]
“After a group of the university’s students collected more than 900 signatures, UCD Students’ Union (UCDSU) will hold a referendum on re-affiliation with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). If passed, each full-time UCD student would be charged an additional €5 per year to fund USI’s operations …” (more)
[University Times, 2 February]
“NUI Galway (NUIG) has appointed a vice-president for equality and diversity, saying it is the first appointment of its kind in an Irish university. Prof Anne Scott, who is executive dean of the education, health and community faculty in Liverpool John Moores University, has been appointed to the post by NUIG president Dr Jim Browne …” (more)
[Lorna Siggins, Irish Times, 27 February]
“A majority of third level students are more active than their peers in the general population, a study on sport and physical activity participation has found.Research undertaken as part of a year-long study to establish the level of fitness among third level students found that 64% of those surveyed are more active than those in comparable age groups in the general population …” (more)
[Éanna Ó Caollaí, Irish Times, 26 February]
“The Royal Irish Academy’s report, submitted to the government higher education funding working group and published earlier this month, puts the academy considerably out of step with all the major parties with regards to higher education funding, none of whom have committed to any new funding model for third-level education after the election …” (more)
[Christopher McMahon, University Times, 26 February]
“The education sector accounted for 73% of all days lost due to industrial action last year, official figures show. Disputes by workers in the sector amounted to 27,600 lost days in 2015, a large portion of the total of 37,760 days lost across all sectors in Ireland …” (more)
[Jane O’Faherty, Independent, 26 February]
“Waterford Institute of Technology has withdrawn a letter sent to unions stating that the Department of Education and Skills had informed them of the possibility of a voluntary redundancy scheme for public servants employed in the education and training sector. The memo seen by RTÉ News was sent to representatives of the Teachers Union of Ireland, IMPACT, Unite and SIPTU last night by a senior manager at WIT …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 25 February]
“Mike Jennings, General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), has called on the leaders of the four main political parties to immediately explain and correct the neglect of third-level education following an independent assessment of their Manifestos on national radio today …” (more)
[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 24 February]
“Harvard University in the US is going to remove the word ‘master’ from academic titles, after protests from students who claimed the title had echoes of slavery …” (more)
[Sean Coughlan, BBC News, 25 February]
“Trinity College has got the go-ahead for a €52m student accommodation development on Dublin’s Pearse Street. Dublin City Council has just given the scheme the all-clear, but that decision could now be appealed to An Bord Pleanala …” (more)
[John Mulligan, Independent, 25 February]
“With the general election just days away, political parties have assured students of many commitments, including pledging not to increase fees over the next five years and even advocating for a system of universally free education. These pre-election promises are frequently derided due to the notoriously fickle nature of Irish politics …” (more)
[James Shaw, University Times, 24 February]
“Irish Rail had to take a train out of service after it was left in a ‘horrific state’ from a joint DCU Engineering Society and Science & Health Society event on Monday, they have claimed. A joint ESoc and Accounting & Finance Society event, scheduled for next week has been cancelled by Irish Rail as a result of the condition the train was left in …” (more)
[Hayley Halpin, The College View, 24 February]
“Schools may face widespread industrial action next autumn if teachers with the biggest second-level union propose next month to stop working additional hours agreed under the Croke Park deal …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien and Martin Wall, Irish Times, 25 February]
“In the year 2014-15 over 42,000 attended third level institutions. Numbers going to university have been steadily increasing; between 1980 and 2004 numbers of secondary school leavers going into higher education increased by 20% to 55% …” (more)
[Jessica Jacques, Irish Times, 24 February]
“In what became known as the #UCD200 scandal, up to 200 students from University College Dublin were accused of sharing explicit photos on a private Facebook group of women with whom they had sexual relations with. There was no proof to solidify these claims and they were dismissed following an inquiry …” (more)
[Shauna Bowers, The College View, 24 February]
“Plans to develop a major student and holiday accommodation complex in Galway City have been submitted to city planners. IVS Student Development Bohermore Limited is seeking planning permission to transform an empty building into apartments for students and holidaymakers at the rear of Bohermore Filling Station …” (more)
[Galway Independent, 24 February]
“Yesterday brightly coloured schoolbags were placed around the front square of TCD in Dublin. These bags served to highlight the shockingly high number of Irish university students that die by suicide each year …” (more)
[Eilis Walsh, TheLiberal.ie, 23 February]
“Sir, – I enjoyed reading Stephen O’Brien’s warning about the dangers of free-market principles dominating third-level education (‘We don’t need no free-market education’, Education Opinion, February 23rd). I share his implicit fear that Irish universities will simply become training institutes for multinational corporations …” (more)
[William Prasifka, Irish Times, 24 February]
