“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]
“Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD has said that the proposal being considered by Trinity College to reduce the places available for Irish based students by a quarter over the next 5 years is a cause for concern, and reflects the underfunding of the third level sector. Speaking this morning, Teachta Ó Laoghaire said …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 3 October]
“The Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, has defended his government’s record on investment in third-level institutions in response to a question about Trinity’s fall in global rankings. The Taoiseach made his comments yesterday whilst on a visit to the United Nations in New York. When asked about Trinity’s falling position in the rankings, he claimed there has been a ‘substantial injection of cash into our universities’ …” (more)
[Shannon Connolly, Trinity News, 27 September]
“Irish universities have warned an Oireachtas committee that financial problems facing the third level sector will get ‘considerably worse’ unless there is a significant step-up in investment to support growing student numbers. Jim Miley, director-general of the Irish Universities Association, told the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight that student numbers are set to grow by 40,000 over the coming decade …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 17 September]
“Fianna Fáil has criticised Fine Gael’s ‘short-sighted and philistine’ approach to research funding in Ireland, after the country won just one of 400 grants from the European Research Council. Fianna Fáil spokesperson on science, technology, research and development James Lawless said the government’s approach is hindering research in Ireland …” (more)
[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 16 September]
“The Presidents of Ireland’s seven universities, represented by the IUA, have called on the Government and the national research funding agencies to urgently address strategic deficiencies in how Irish research is funded, following the outcome of the latest European Research Council (ERC) funding programme. Only one Irish-based researcher was funded out of a total of 408 grant awards from the €621 million funding programme …” (more)
[IUA, 13 September]
“The presidents of all seven Irish universities today called for a rethink on how research is funded in Ireland after the European Research Council’s granted Irish-based researchers only one of its 408 grants …” (more)
[Cormac Watson, University Times, 13 September]
“Just one of more than 400 recently announced European research grants has been awarded to Ireland prompting calls for an overhaul in how the Government carries out its own funding. The presidents of seven third level institutions represented by the Irish Universities Association (IUA) have said national funding for primary research is far behind that of other countries …” (more)
[Mark Hilliard, Irish Times, 13 September]
“A new controversy is erupting over State funding for university researchers after Trinity College Dublin (TCD) dropped 44 places in the latest annual global rankings. In a further blow to the nation’s higher education reputation, the only Irish entry in the world’s top 200 tumbled from 120th to 164th in the UK-based Times Higher Education table …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 12 September]
