Ninth Level Ireland

“The announcement this week that Ennis is to become a university town has been described as ‘fantastic news’ for the county capital and the entire region. The green light has been given for a new Technological University in the Mid-West and Midlands. Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has designated Athlone Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology Ireland’s next technological university …” (more)

[Clare Champion, 8 May]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (Friday 7 May) announced €23 million in funding for a programme for post-doctoral researchers to become research leaders. The investment, which is a joint initiative between Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and the Irish Research Council (IRC), will see some 40 early career researchers, across all disciplines, supported to develop cutting-edge projects through awards of up to €550,000 over a four-year period …” (more)

[gov.ie, 6 May]

“Two years ago, at the inaugural IUA Future of Ireland event, Micheál Martin TD and Leader of Fianna Fáil put forward his plan for a new Department for Higher Education. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, he returns as Taoiseach on May 27th at 12:00 to outline his vision for the role of universities and other third level institutions in Irish society and economy …” (more)

[IUA, 7 May]

“A new international student exchange scheme will provide more opportunities for US students and be more inclusive than its predecessor, according to the UK’s universities minister. The EU’s long-running Erasmus program gave students the chance to study abroad, as well as running an exchange scheme for staff …” (more)

[Nick Morrison, Forbes, 7 May]

“Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to instances in which a person has made a protected disclosure to CIT or MTU and that CIT or MTU have since engaged in mediation with that person and as part of that have asked as a condition of settlement to withdraw the disclosure …” (more)

[Dail written answers, 6 May]

“Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the contribution currently made by the Higher Education Authority towards graduate entry medicine per student; the cost of increasing the HEA contribution towards graduate entry medicine tuition fees by €5,000 and €10,000 per student, respectively based on the latest available student numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 6 May]

“On the last day of teaching for this academic year, with reasonably encouraging signs of some form of reopening of campus education being possible in September, it will shortly be time to think about how we proceed next academic year. It seems obvious to me that although university staff have worked very hard over the last year the Covid-19 restrictions have meant that we have not been able to provide the level of education we would have liked and most of us are longing to get back to some form of face-to-face teaching …” (more)

[In the Dark, 7 May]

“Student nurses and midwives are set to receive a backdated promised Pandemic Placement Grant of €100 per week by 1 June, the Minister for Health has confirmed. The payment applies for weeks when the students in question were on placement in health care settings during the pandemic, and was recommended in a review by Professor Tom Collins …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 7 May]

“Ulster University has announced 40 new Belfast Community Scholarships, removing the financial barriers that prevent many students from accessing higher education. Supported by Ulster Garden Villages Limited and Lead Corporate Partners SHS Group and Aflac Northern Ireland over the next five years, just over 100 students from Belfast will benefit from funding …” (more)

[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 7 May]

“The government has today left the door open to more flexibility in how Trinity is governed in the future, likely easing concerns that the department would grant the Higher Education Authority (HEA) sweeping powers to control how College is run …” (more)

[Cormac Watson, University Times, 6 May]

“Colleges that do not comply with funding conditions will face sanctions, including having their grants withheld, under new published legislation aimed at reforming the governance of the Higher Education sector. Under the legislation, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) will be able to set conditions for funding third-level institutions and guidelines on how much of a university’s budget should be applied to its different activities …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 6 May]

“The Government has insisted that sweeping governance changes to the higher education sector will safeguard the autonomy of universities and protect academic freedom. Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris published the Higher Education Authority Bill (2021) on Thursday which amount to the biggest shake-up in third level governance in 50 years …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 6 May]

“With both the academic year and the harshest level of government restrictions drawing to a close, the past year for many third-level students’ is morphing into a beautiful, sepia-toned montage of their time in higher education. From losing your perception of time as you stare blankly at a computer screen, meandering the journey from library-booked seat to library-booked seat, to the simple joy of sipping a flat pint in sub-zero temperatures, this academic year will be one us students may struggle to forget …” (more)

[Faye Curran, University Times, 6 May]

“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he plans to take to address the situation regarding the hiring of academic staff on a temporary or casual basis in universities and the resulting precarious working conditions for the staff involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 5 May]

“He also said the Government will be outlining a roadmap to begin removing emergency payments at the end of the month. Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris has condemned comments made by an unnamed Minister last week regarding students in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) …” (more)

[Clara Kelly, Joe.ie, 6 May]

“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today (6th May) published legislation to reform and modernise the Higher Education sector. The Higher Education Authority Act, 2021 will advance equality, diversity and inclusion at Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), while ensuring they provide accountability and transparency, as well as value-for-money for public funding …” (more)

[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 6 May]

“On Thursday 6 May, Minister of State for European Affairs, Thomas Byrne TD launches ‘A Career for EU’, Ireland’s Strategy to increase Irish representation in the European Union’s Institutions and Agencies. The new strategy aims to significantly increase the numbers of Irish officials in both permanent and temporary positions within the EU Institutions, to increase the number of Irish people applying for jobs in the EU institutions, while improving awareness of EU careers in Ireland across all sectors …” (more)

[MerrionStreet.ie, 6 May]

“On Monday May 3rd, students woke up to yet another slanderous headline. A national newspaper insinuated that students are exposing a ‘loophole’ in the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) scheme …” (more)

[Luke Murphy, College Tribune, 5 May]

“Following on from recent revelations that Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow hired two consultants to drive on the TUSE application – at €1,000 per day – without advertising the tender as per European procurement rules, the Waterford News & Star can reveal that the two colleges involved in the Munster Technological University’s application did the same thing …” (more)

[Darren Skelton, Waterford News and Star, 5 May]

“Planning sought for €31m development of 40 student apartments, ranging in size from single-bed studio apartments to eight-bed apartments, comprising 243 bed spaces …” (more)

[Catherine Shanahan, Irish Examiner, 6 May]