“Many graduate recruits are failing to accomplish ‘simple tasks’ such as writing cogently on a business topic that is free of spelling or grammatical errors, an employers’ group has warned …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 30 November]
“Ar scáth a chéile a mhaireann na daoine literally means we live in each other’s shadow. In our shared Gaelic psyche this is how it is meant to be – offering each other fellowship, shelter and protection. We must ensure though that enough light is allowed through for the other to thrive for ar scáth a chéile, in each other’s shadow, to make sense …” (more)
[Réamonn Ó Ciaráin, Slugger O’Toole, 30 November]
“The third of three regional student protests campaigning against the cost of higher education took place last Wednesday in Galway. The Cost of College campaign, directed by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), aims to lobby the government for change in the cost of college fees for students in Ireland …” (more)
[Valerie McHugh, SIN, 30 November]
“Female enrolment in higher education globally has grown tremendously in recent decades. However, the latest gender analysis by U-Multirank confirms that more work still needs to be done to close the gender gap in academic careers …” (more)
[Gero Federkeil, University World News, 27 November]
“Rates of third level education in the State were higher than the EU average last year, according to data published by the Central Statistics Office (CSO). The data showed that 58% of 25-34 year olds had a tertiary level qualification in 2020 in Ireland, compared with an EU average of 41% …” (more)
[Jade Wilson, Irish Times, 29 November]
“A new race equality action plan, which seeks to encourage student doctors and medical academics to speak out about bullying, discrimination, harassment or assault, has been launched by The Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) …” (more)
[Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 19 November]
“Trinity’s branch of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has voted to lobby for staff over 60, and those in the HSE’s ‘high-risk’ category, to be allowed to work from home until they receive a booster vaccine …” (more)
[Emer Moreau, University Times, 29 November]
“Great News for Astrophysics & Cosmology at Maynooth! I couldn’t resist a quick post in reaction to the announcement by the Irish Government of ten new senior professorial positions under the Strategic Academic Leadership Initiative (SALI). I blogged about this scheme here. Among the positions just announced is a new Chair in Observational Astrophysics or Cosmology at Maynooth University …” (more)
[In the Dark, 29 November]
“Sir, – When the history of the pandemic in Ireland is written, the universities will undoubtedly be singled out, along with schools, for their apparent stoicism in keeping their doors open amid rising infection rates amongst staff and students …” (more)
[Sarah Alyn Stacey, Irish Times, 29 November]
“This is a time for students protests, but the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the leading student representative group, attaching itself to an expletive-ridden campaign titled ‘Fuck the Fees’ just gives the government another excuse to dismiss the serious needs of students …” (more)
[University Times, 28 November]
“The Minister for Further and Higher Education has approved 10 more positions at senior academic level in higher education under an initiative to progress gender equality in academia. Simon Harris’s announcement on Monday was made under the Senior Academic Leadership Initiative (Sali) …” (more)
[Mary Carolan, Irish Times, 29 November]
“Students are heading into the fourth consecutive assessment period impacted by the coronavirus. We should know what to do at this stage, but there persists a lack of joined-up thinking among representatives …” (more)
[University Times, 28 November]
“Maynooth University has announced that they will hold the majority of January exams online after a petition calling for in-person tests to be scrapped received thousands of signatures. The petition was set up by the University’s Students’ Union who said on-campus exams cannot go ahead due to the ‘uncertain public health situation nationwide’ …” (more)
[Emma Nevin, DublinLive, 26 November]
“A large protest took place at DCU today after a lecturer at the college was criticised by a number of students for political statements on his personal blog. DCU Students, staff – including other lecturers at the college – and members of other universities turned out on a chilly November afternoon to endorse the Black Lives Matter protest …” (more)
[Peter O’Neill, Hot Press, 26 November]
“Students will not have an automatic right to defer exams as they have done for the previous three assessment periods, Trinity’s senior lecturer has said. Students will only be allowed to defer examinations if they develop coronavirus symptoms, test positive for the virus or are a close contact of a positive case close to their exams …” (more)
[Jody Druce, University Times, 26 November]
“RTÉ Liveline viewers heard that a Trinity College student wouldn’t be allowed to graduate from her course because of a €22 library fine. Sarah, who studied mental health nursing in the city centre university for four years, spoke to Joe Duffy from a toilet cubicle on her break …” (more)
[Amy Donohoe, DublinLive, 26 November]
“University College Cork has become the first third-level institution to announce that all of its mid-year December exams are to be held online next month. But other colleges are pressing ahead with their in-person exams, some involving thousands of students …” (mp3)
[RTÉ – Drivetime, 25 November]
“NUI Galway has been strongly criticised by its Student Union for the decision to continue in-person examinations this year, despite rising Covid cases. Other institutions around the country such as University College Cork are providing options for students to take exams from home, but NUIG has shared no such plans …” (more)
[Hugh Carr, Joe.ie, 25 November]
“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a borrowing framework for the technological universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 23 November]
“Peter Fitzpatrick (Louth, Independent): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the suggestion that Dundalk Institute of Technology can achieve university designation as a standalone institute outside the framework of the Technological Universities Act 2018 given that the institute is not partnered with another institute of technology or technological university; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 23 November]
