“Most people are now aware of this letter of resignation by an EPFL PhD student. The letter has had enormous impact. In the resignation, the student, who was supposedly within months of completing his PhD, outlined his reasons for his disillusionment with the culture of science. The letter went viral …” (more)
[educationandstuff, 30 June]
“The last 10 years has seen most Universities in the UK undergo significant restructuring. These processes, which are still ongoing – most terribly at Manchester and the OU at the moment – are intended to deliver transformations to the institution’s financial viability, their ‘market appeal’, improvement of the student experience, and increasing competitiveness in research and teaching …” (more)
[Improvisation Blog, 30 June]
“Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his expectations and those of the HEA regarding board members and audit committees handling whistleblowers’ cases in institutes of technology and universities …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 28 June]
“Jan O’Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the possible affect of Brexit on fees and access to higher education for Irish students who attend British universities and colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 28 June]
“A former senior manager with the University of Limerick has brought defamation proceedings against the college over the contents of e mails it provided to the Department of Education and the Auditor and Controller General concerning his severance payment …” (more)
[Aodhan O’Faolain, Limerick Leader, 29 June]
“The sustainability of the Mayo campus of GMIT into the future is a priority for the new Cathaoirleach of the Castlebar Municipal District of Mayo County Council …” (more)
[Mid West Radio, 29 June]
“Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe has said the State cannot afford to immediately repeal Financial Emergency legislation (FEMPI), which underpinned the pay cuts imposed on the public sector during the economic crisis …” (more)
[RTÉ News, 29 June]
“2015 data – enrollments in Irish Universities (Mater Dei and St Pat’s included as they are now incorporated into DCU). Note: gender balance in science reflects male dominance in physics and maths and female dominance in biology. Interestingly, there is parity (more or less) in chemistry …” (more)
[educationandstuff, 28 June]
“Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) has been asked by members of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to clear up contradictions on a number of financial matters relating to expenses, fees to directors and private companies linked to the college …” (more)
[Daniel McConnell, Irish Examiner, 29 June]
“Students believe the British higher education system will be ‘downgraded’ following Brexit, with uneven impacts across the sector. During interviews for our Brexit report, many students expressed the view that in a post-Brexit UK, the only universities worth applying to would be the elite, Russell Group institutions …” (more)
[Josephine West, QS Intelligence Unit, 28 June]
“New figures released by the Department of the Economy have shown that there are around one-third more Catholic students than Protestant students in Northern Ireland’s higher education institutions …” (more)
[Michael Sheils McNamee, Belfast Telegraph, 28 June]
“Sir, – The Irish Federation of University Teachers wishes to draw attention to a ‘code of ethics’ being considered by the government in Israel for its academic institutions. It represents a threat not only to academic freedom but to Israel’s standing as a democracy …” (more)
[Mike Jennings, Irish Times, 29 June]
“Carol Nolan (Offaly, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students from Northern Ireland wishing to enter colleges here in 2017 will be treated as EU students for fee purposes; if this status will remain for the duration of their course; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 27 June]
“The monopoly of the King’s Inns society should be ended and all universities should be permitted to train barristers, the Dáil has heard. People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said there was no proper statutory basis for the operation of the King’s Inns, which ‘ensures that a very small, well-vetted elite decide who gets to be a barrister and controls the legal system and who is kept out …” (more)
[Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 27 June]
“In 2011, Claudio Aspesi, a senior investment analyst at Bernstein Research in London, made a bet that the dominant firm in one of the most lucrative industries in the world was headed for a crash …” (more)
[Stephen Buranyi, Guardian, 27 June]
“When I read Michael O’Sullivan’s recent piece for Irish Times Abroad on leaving Ireland to pursue an academic career in Asia, I recognised many parts of his story in my own. Like Michael, I have a PhD in English Literature and had been contemplating moving abroad to find work since the early stages of my PhD. At the time I was based in London and although I knew a few people who’d been lucky enough to walk straight into academic posts …” (more)
[Louise Kane, Irish Times, 27 June]
“The country’s biggest secondary school teachers’ union looks set to recommend to its members that they reject the proposed public sector pay deal. The move means all three teachers’ unions may end up voting against the draft agreement …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 27 June]
“The only reason NUI Galway have extended mediation with four of the female lecturers for two weeks is our campaign. Management’s usual strategy is delay, delay and yet more delay …” (more)
[Micheline’s Three Conditions, 27 June]
“I can’t be the only person who gets horrible eye-strain and frequent migraines from looking at computer screens for many hours a day. But my job, in the physical sense, is basically reading screens and typing stuff into computers. Like so many of us. Then there’s the generalised version of the ‘spending too much time reading crap on Twitter’ problem …” (more)
[Crooked Timber, 27 June]
“Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has praised Atlantic Philanthropies which is holding its last Irish board meeting after a 30-year grant allocation programme which saw it award amounts totalling €6.6 billion. Mr Varadkar praised the organisation for its contribution to peace in Northern Ireland, support for healthcare, equality, and third-level education, and its help in changing attitudes to the LGBT community …” (more)
[Colm Keena, Irish Times, 26 June]
