Ninth Level Ireland

“Sir, – I note your report (News, July 6th) that the Irish Universities Association (IUA) has made a submission to the Government for an increase of €130 million in core funding and €104 million in ‘essential capital upgrades’ for 2019, and with further increases in subsequent years. The IUA also links the recent ‘fall in international standing’ of Irish universities to the paucity of state support …” (more)

[Eunan O’Halpin, Irish Times, 10 July]

“On Thursday, without warning or any sort of build-up, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) launched an aggressive online campaign to increase funding for the higher education sector. The media jumped on it – and Twitter buzzed as provosts and presidents all rowed in behind the organisation to support this very public push for increased funding …” (more)

[University Times, 8 July]

“‘Upon the education of the people of this country, the fate of this country depends.’ History regards Benjamin Disraeli as a reforming political leader. His contention that education determines the fate of the country is as apt today as it was when he spoke in the House of Commons on June 15th, 1874 …” (more)

[Jim Miley, Irish Times, 6 July]

“The €600m funding shortage predicted in third-level colleges by 2021 could be even higher due to an unexpected rises in student numbers, universities have warned. In a renewed call on the Government to act on the recommendations of the 2016 report of an expert group on higher education funding, the Irish Universities Association (IUA) said projected increases in student numbers may have been underestimated …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 5 July]

“Budget 2019 must be used to inject essential resources into our universities according to Jim Miley Director General of the Irish Universities Association. ‘This Budget must urgently address the underlying quality issues arising from a decade of underfunding as well as building capacity to absorb the significant growth in student numbers. We are seeking an increase of €130m in core current funding and €104m in essential capital upgrades in 2019. State funding per student now is just half what it was ten years ago’ …” (more)

[Irish Universities Association, 5 July]

“Today is World Refugee Day. Held every year on June 20th it commemorates the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. This year, World Refugee Day also marks a key moment for the public to show support for families forced to flee. The latest figures from the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, show that at least 65.6 million people have been forcibly displaced within their own countries or across borders …” (more)

[Irish Universities Association, 20 June]

“The fall in international rankings by most Irish universities is disappointing but not a surprise. Irish universities have endured a decade of under-investment. The impact of the funding cuts over the years, while invisible in the short-term, are now being seen directly as our universities are out-performed by better funded international competitors …” (more)

[Irish Universities Association, 6 June]

“In the University of Limerick today (27th April 2pm) Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor will launch a report ‘Enhancing Mobility for Access Students Ireland’ and online resource mobilitytookit.ie for higher education institutions in Ireland to widen student participation in international mobility opportunities, such as Erasmus+, for non-traditional students such as mature students, student with disabilities or from lower socio-economic groups …” (more)

[Irish Universities Association, 27 April]

“Sir, – We disagree with Jim Miley, director general of the Irish Universities Association, that allowing universities to pay salaries of up to €337,000 to high profile academics will ‘provide the best value for money for the State’s investment in talent’ (‘Universities get green light for salaries over €335,000’, News, March 12th) …” (more)

[Ulf Strohmayer and 10 others, Irish Times, 19 March]

“Working conditions for lecturers are set to improve significantly, as the Department of Education and Skills confirmed plans to address long-standing issues with part-time contracts. Today, formal agreements have taken place between the Irish University Association (IUA) and the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), which will aim to address these concerns …” (more)

[Aisling Marren, University Times, 13 March]

“Almost 400 extra places on teacher training courses are to be created this year in a bid to help alleviate a lack of supply in key subjects. The move also has the potential to offset some of the heat added to the points race by a surge in the number of young people applying for education programmes through the Central Applications Office (CAO) …” (more)

[Kevin Doyle, Independent, 14 March]

“Universities have received Government approval to recruit top academics on salaries of up to €337,000 a year. Under public sector pay rules, salaries for public sector employees in general are capped and individuals may not earn more than the Taoiseach’s annual €190,000 salary …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien and Peter McGuire, Irish Times, 12 March]

“Parents, students and universities have given broad support to a system of continuous assessment for the Leaving Cert – but teachers are opposed. The views were aired at a meeting of the Oireachtas Education Committee to consider whether a change would reduce high levels of student stress blamed on the current exam model …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 7 March]

“The way the Leaving Cert is structured is maximising stress on students and leading to crippling levels of anxiety, parents’ representatives have claimed. The National Parents Council Post-Primary said high-stakes, one-off exams can be ‘brutal instruments’ and fail to properly assess student’s overall performance and learning during their time at school …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 6 March]

“Significant investment in maintaining standards will be vital if more assessment methods are used for the Leaving Certificate, TDs and senators have heard. Lewis Purser, Irish Universities Association director of academic affairs, told the Oireachtas Education Committee that good practice of teachers regularly assessing their students is often sacrificed by the preparation required for the Leaving Certificate’s high-stakes format …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 7 March]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) welcomes the pledge by the government in the National Planning Framework ‘Project Ireland 2040’ to invest €2.2 billion in capital expenditure in the higher education sector over the next decade. This marks a significant milestone for the sector following almost a decade of under-investment in the building facilities programme during the recession years …” (more)

[Lia O’Sullivan, Irish Universities Association, 16 February]

“The number of Irish undergraduate applicants to UK universities has continued to drop for the fifth year in a row, according to new data from the Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS). In total, 31% fewer people from Ireland applied to UK universities this year than in 2012 …” (more)

[Lexi Demetroulakos, Trinity News, 11 February]

“Tinkering around the edges and skirting the big issues has become Richard Bruton’s political forte. The Minister for Education has, for the last two years, promised immediate action on funding and said it was of the highest importance. Yet, as the government this week released a raft of reforms – including fines for mismanagement in Irish universities – it’s getting to the stage where everything and anything goes. Except for funding …” (more)

[University Times, 21 January]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) welcomes the publication of the HEA’s report What Do Graduates Do? – The Class of 2016. This report, which is an analysis of the first destinations of the 2016 class of university graduates, shows clearly the high levels of employability among Irish university graduates ….” (more)

[Irish Universities Association, 19 January]

“Irish universities have warned of the ‘urgent need’ to deal with underfunding of higher education. While they welcomed a new funding model for the sector, they said ambitious Government targets to become the best education system in Europe could be delivered only with increased investment …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 16 January]