“The seven university presidents have convened a special meeting to consider outline Government plans for a reshaping of the sector. The Government has let it be known that it favours a tighter, more efficient university network and, critically, one where there is less duplication and more focused areas of expertise. Minister for Education and Science Batt O’Keeffe wants to transform the current situation where most colleges offer a broadly similar mix of disciplines to one in which each university has a particular expertise or specialisation. Much closer alliances between colleges and even mergers have not been ruled out …” (more)
[Irish Times, 30 January]