“What lessons can be drawn from the research merger between University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin? UCD is the big winner in the research merger. After a slow start, UCD has raised its game on research. UCC and DCU are angry because their research capacity is just as good. The merger, however, will raise UCD’s stock and, presumably, its position in those all-important world rankings. One question: will the merger be as good for Trinity – already the only Irish university inside the world top 50 – as it is for UCD? While the UCD/TCD merger makes sound sense, the secretive manner in which the deal was done has left a sour taste …” (more)
[Irish Times, 17 March]