Ninth Level Ireland

“Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills the role being played in the educational system here with the development of Chinese Confucius Institutions; the funding streams available to universities and colleges through these institutions; if he will explain the detail, role, purpose and benefit of the Confucius Institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 15 May]

“Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of all unauthorised allowances to each of the senior academics for the 2005 to 2011 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil Éireann, 15 May]

“The Union of Students’ in Ireland (USI) national ‘preferendum’ ran into a major technical hitch on its first day of operation after it emerged that former students had been able to vote on the poll, designed to assess current college students’ feeling towards how best to fund third level …” (more)

[StudentNews.ie, 16 May]

“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]

“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]

“The international reputation of higher education in Ireland has received a boost from a new global ranking system. The Irish third-level system is ranked 16th among 48 countries, ahead of Germany, Israel and Japan. The rankings were compiled by Universitas 21 (U21) an international network of leading research-intensive universities in 15 countries …” (more)

[Seán Flynn, Irish Times, 12 May]

“Sir, – I have known Dr Hugh Brady since before he became president of UCD. No university president from Ireland in my experience is more admired in America for their expansive vision and dedication to the highest standards than Dr Brady …” (more)

[Niall O'Dowd, Irish Times, 7 May]

“New figures show universities paid almost €8 million in unauthorised allowances to senior academics over a six-year period. The allowances were paid between 2005 and 2011 without the approval of the Higher Education Authority (HEA). This is despite legislation that stipulates its approval must be sought …” (more)

[Carl O'Brien, Irish Times, 7 May]

“UCD’s Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School has joined a new alliance of international business schools designed to connect faculty, students and deans with their peers to address leadership issues in business and society worldwide …” (more)

[Grainne Rothery, Business and Leadership, 4 May]

“So the UCD Mute swans have done it again, produced another 6 cygnets into the world. Exactly the same number of cygnets as last year and bang on the average clutch size of 6. Last year’s cygnets made their first appearance on the 4th of May, this year it was the 30th of April …” (more, video)

[Drimnagh Birdwatch, 3 May]

“University College Dublin was a semidemocratised institution until about 10 years ago.  Since then its representative structures have been dismantled. Furthermore, despite much chat about synergies, the channels by which academic staffers normally communicated with each other were closed down …” (more)

[Tom Garvin, Irish Times, 1 May]

“Thousands of university staff, including senior lecturers and college heads who earn six-figure salaries, are entitled to have their children’s college fees paid by the State as a perk of the job …” (more)

[Claire O’Sullivan, Irish Examiner, 30 April]

“One’s last Trinity Ball brings an odd cocktail of emotions (not to mention drinks). The will to make the most of it and enjoy the celebrations is interrupted by a constantly lingering awareness of the momentousness of the occasion; the culmination of an important four years and the end of a formative era …” (more)

[Dylan Haskins, Irish Times, 23 April]

“UCD Students’ Union accumulated a €1.4 million debt over a four year period, an investigation into the union’s finances has revealed. The university has given the union a loan of almost €1 million to keep the student representative body afloat …” (more)

[College Tribune, 18 April]

“Cash-strapped University College Dublin (UCD) has been forced to bail out its own student union, which racked up €1.4m in debt through years of financial mismanagement. Sources indicated last night that a university loan of €750,000 was given the green light early last month …” (more)

[Mark Hilliard, Independent, 14 April]

“The students’ union at University College Dublin has run up debts of €1.4m following years of catastrophic accountancy practices. The Revenue Commissioners, which is owed nearly €400,000 in unpaid tax liabilities, have been contacted …” (more)

[Mark Hilliard and Louise Hogan, Independent, 13 April]

“UCD Students’ Union have released their full financial accounts at Students’ Union Council, which is currently on-going. The report of the SU’s accounts, which was presented at Council, has revealed that as of June 2011, the Union was €1.42 million in debt …” (more)

[University Observer, 12 April]

“Heavy machinery arrived at the building site of the Sutherland School of Law last week, marking the commencement of the School’s construction …” (more)

[University Observer, 11 April]

“The Union of Students in Ireland’s (USI) ‘preferendum’ to decide what the national student stance on third-level education payment should be was postponed from last week’s Congress until the next National Council …” (more)

[University Observer, 11 April]