Ninth Level Ireland

“Students and third level colleges have united to call on political parties to commit to invest more in higher education to prevent Ireland ‘losing ground’ against international competitors. In a joint statement, the Union of Students in Ireland, the Irish Universities Association and the Technological Higher Education Association said State funding per student at third level is now 40% less than it was a decade ago …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 23 January]

“‘Crisis, what crisis?’ Three words that helped bring down Jim Callaghan’s Labour government in the 1979 UK general election. The prime minister never actually uttered these words. A Sun subeditor fashioned the headline but it captured the popular impression of an administration unaware of a serious state of affairs which had caught up with it …” (more)

[Lorna Fitzpatrick, Joseph Ryan and Jim Miley, Irish Times, 23 January]

“Higher education colleges and students have come together to push for a pre-election commitment for politicians for an increased €100m a year for the third-level sector. State funding per student to third level institutions is now 40% less than it was a decade ago because of austerity-era cuts that have not been reversed …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 23 January]

“Just two weeks before the Irish general election, higher education interest groups have put out a united call for greater funding for the sector. The Irish Universities Association (IUA), the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA), and the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) have rallied to campaign for a pre-election commitment to hundreds of millions of euros of higher education funding …” (more)

[Madalyn Williams, Trinity News, 23 January]

“Trinity will next week play host to a higher education debate featuring education spokespeople from Ireland’s political parties, ahead of a general election in February. Organised jointly by the Irish Universities Association (IUA), the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Technological Higher Education Association, the debate will bring politicians from several parties to the Business School for a debate on the future of higher education and research …” (more)

[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 21 January]

“The Government is facing calls for an ‘urgent review’ of a State training fund after it emerged that the surplus is set to climb to almost €1 billion this year. The scale of the surplus has emerged at a time when the higher education sector claims it is facing a financial ‘crisis’ linked to reduced State investment …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 6 January]

“Jim Miley, Director General of the IUA, tells us why he has called for on students, parents and staff to make third level funding an issue on the doorsteps …” (mp3)

[RTÉ – This Week, 5 January]

“All told, it has been a busy but rewarding year for the IUA. Among the many key highlights were: In January we started with a bang hosting a major conference on the comparison between Irish and European Universities …” (more)

[IUA, 19 December]

“Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the implementation of the Code of Governance for Irish Universities 2019; the date by which the universities must apply the code; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 5 December]

“The government is unlikely propose any firm policies for higher education funding in an upcoming general election, after instead appointing a group of financial management consultants on a 12-month contract to examine the best way forward for the sector …” (more)

[Emer Moreau, University Times, 18 November]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) today officially launched the Enhancing Digital Capacity in Teaching and Learning in Irish Universities (EDTL) project as the final event of the World Conference on Online Learning. This is an ambitious three-year project, funded by the Higher Education Authority’s Innovation and Transformation Programme …” (more)

[IUA, 7 November]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) welcomes HEA’s new report on the Spatial and Socio-Economic Profile of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland. The IUA has been using the same type of geocoded data as an indicator of socioeconomic background for the HEAR scheme for 10 years and has been advocating for others to use it for similar purposes. This report helps universities to ensure that they can identify and address the needs of the most underrepresented groups in Higher Education …” (more)

[IUA, 21 October]

“Looking for a job in Irish universities was demoralising as there were no permanent contracts for the type of role I was applying for. In Ireland, you get a graduate visa for two years after completing a postgrad in order to find a job. This is difficult when the role you want doesn’t offer permanent contracts, which is the case for most graduate jobs in third levels these days …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 20 October]

“For anyone interested in the sustained funding of third level education in Ireland, Budget Day has become more like Groundhog Day. 1,183 days before last week’s Budget, the Cassells Report identified the funding challenges facing our higher education system and set out the scale of the investment required to deliver on our national ambition …” (more)

[Jim Miley, Trinity News, 13 October]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA), have described the Budget 2020 provisions for higher education as ‘understandable, but inadequate’. In yesterday’s budget statement, Minister of Finance Paschal Donohue announced the provision of €19 million for the rising student numbers in the following years, as well as €74 million additional funding for higher education, funded by a 0.1% increase in the National Training Fund levy. Donohue also reiterated a pledge for an extra investment of €60 million as part of the Human Capital Initiative …” (more)

[Rachel McKinney-Perry, Trinity News, 9 October]

“We would like to thank the Chair, Senator Neale Richmond, and the Committee members for inviting the Irish Universities Association to address the Committee. We would like to start by highlighting the importance of higher education and research to the Irish economy and the role it plays in protecting Ireland from global crises before discussing Brexit specifically in terms of higher education and research …” (more)

[IUA, 9 October]

“The IUA welcomes the Budget provisions for higher education for known increases in student numbers in 2020 and pay provisions under national wage agreements. We understand this cautious approach to the Budget by the government in the context of the considerable uncertainty arising from Brexit. However, it must be recognised that the Budget does not address the growing gap in core funding of our third level system …” (more)

[IUA, 9 October]

“An increase in investment of €74 million for higher education has been announced by the Finance Minister Paschal Donohue in today’s budget statement. The additional funding will be provided by a 0.1% increase to the National Training Fund, a levy on employers …” (more)

[Finn Purdy, Trinity News, 8 October]

“Jim Miley Director General of the Irish Universities Association today responded to comments made by Hugh Brady, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, at the British Irish Chamber event this morning, Jim Miley said …” (more)

[IUA, 4 October]

“The former president of University College Dublin has called for immediate action to address a ‘national crisis’ ahead of Brexit. Now the Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Bristol, Hugh Brady spoke at the British Irish Chamber of Commerce earlier today, insisting that the ‘state of Ireland’s higher education and research system should be viewed as a national crisis’ …” (more)

[Rebecca Stiffe, Irish Examiner, 4 October]