“The Union of Students in Ireland (USI)’s online ‘Funding Vote’ has been called into question after it emerged that database errors allowed former and part-time students to vote and some students who had been registered for courses in more than one college to vote more than once …” (more)
[Rónán Burtenshaw, Trinity News, 15 May]
“The first day of the online USI vote on third level funding did not go as smoothly as the organisers would have hoped. It was discovered early in the day that former students of NUI Maynooth, DIT and UCD were being allowed to vote in the online poll, giving rise to complaints that the final tally would be distorted and therefore invalid …” (more)
[Ronan Costello, University Times, 15 May]
“The voting system used for the USI ‘preferendum’ on funding for third level education has been called into question by The Student Observer. They are reporting that it is possible for the system to be abused as former students are able to vote …” (more)
[Ben Finch, Studenty_Belfast, 15 May]
“Andrew Martin and Andrew Lehman have a front page story in Sunday’s New York Times: ‘A Generation Hobbled by Debt’. The top of the fold color picture features Kelsey Griffith, age 23, in debt $120,000 from her college loans, now working two restaurant jobs …” (more)
[Lawrence M Schall, Huffington Post, 15 May]
“The Union of Students in Ireland is in the process of re-examining their established campaign for ‘free fees’, and are putting the question to students across the nation to decide the approach it should take on the issue of third level education fees …” (more)
[Leigh Ashmore, Studenty_Belfast, 15 May]
“The USI has finally heeded the call for a direct democratic vote on the preferred choice for funding of higher education. This is a sign that the majority are tired of the unrealistic free fees policy …” (more)
[Daire Collins, University Times, 15 May]
“As the coalition attempts to cut immigration, it stands accused of taking the equivalent of a machine gun to private colleges …” (more)
[Jessica Shepherd, Guardian, 14 May]
“In twenty-two days’ time almost 59,000 Irish students will sit down to begin one of the most stressful examinations of their lives. The real stress, however, comes not so much with the Leaving Certificate examination, as with the points race that accompanies it …” (more)
[Patrick Prendergast, Irish Times, 15 May]
“One of the great developments of higher education across much of the developed world over recent years has been the dramatic increase in participation rates. Where once it was common to find fewer than 10% of each age cohort going to universities and colleges, today it is not unusual to find up to and more than 50% getting a degree …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 15 May]
“The Union of Students in Ireland is asking students from across the country to vote in a nationwide online poll. It is to decide the union’s stance on student fees and whether or not the USI should continue its policy of campaigning for ‘free fees’ …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 15 May]
“Students from across the country are to be asked to vote in a nationwide online poll from tomorrow, the results of which will be used to determine the stance of their national union on whether to change its policy on tuition fees …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 14 May]
“Ministers have included overseas students in the government’s net migration count because they are more interested in playing the numbers game than with long-term migration, a leading thinktank has claimed …” (more)
[Alan Travis, Guardian, 14 May]
“Governments exist to make decisions, and unions exist to lobby against any negative impact these decisions may have on their members. To mandate a national students’ union to do anything but fight for a system that balances meritocratic universality of access to higher education and the maintenance of academic standards would be ludicrous …” (more)
[Jack Leahy, University Times, 14 May]
“Sir David Bell, who led the Department for Education until the start of this year, said that letting in working-class students with lower A-level grades than their middle-class counterparts was ‘patronising’ and could be seen as a ‘back door route in’ …” (more)
[Julie Henry, Sunday Telegraph, 13 May]
“GMIT has come under fire for its proposed 73% increase in fees for part-time Art & Design Students. North-West MEP Marian Harkin slammed the hike as ‘unacceptable’, adding that it would cause many to abandon their course and is an unjust and unreasonable approach by the college …” (more)
[Marie Madden, Galway Independent, 12 May]
“Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons that will be employed to assess applications through the online facility for student grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 10 May]
“Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will be announcing the new online only grant applications system for student grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 10 May]
“Opposition to tuition fees among German students is waning as they reap the benefits of extra educational funds, a conference has heard. Stephan Bierling, professor of international politics at the University of Regensburg, told a British Council conference on the UK and German higher education systems that opposition to upfront fees came principally from politicians, not students …” (more)
[Jack Grove, Times Higher Education, 10 May]
“Thousands of English and Welsh students will be able to claim free tuition at Scottish universities by claiming Irish grandparents, it was revealed today. Last week, it emerged that students from Northern Ireland could avoid fees by taking dual Republic of Ireland citizenship and applying as EU students, which would result in them having their fees paid under European equality law …” (more)
[Tim Bugler, Daily Mail, 11 May]
“Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reform the HPAT entry exam to Irish medical schools; his views on whether those who can afford expensive preparatory courses are at an advantage when sitting the exam; his views on whether there is a more equitable assessment process that could be instituted; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann, 9 May]
