“In what can only be described as absolutely unprecedented times, hundreds of thousands of children are at home and not going to school for a very elongated period. Leo Varadkar has said that as things stand, the State exams of the Junior and Leaving Certificates will be going ahead in the summer …” (more)
[James Brennan, TheLiberal.ie, 2 April]
“The completion of the Printing House Square project faces possible delays due to the coronavirus. The on-campus accommodation complex, set to house 250 students, was expected to be completed this summer in time for the new academic year. However, following the government’s decision last Friday to halt all non-essential building work, construction sites on campus have been closed and it is unclear when they will reopen …” (more)
[Aisling Grace, Trinity News, 2 April]
“The Union of Students in Ireland, along with student leaders across the island, is committed to ensuring that no student is disadvantaged as a result of the COVID-19 crisis, when it comes to assessment. To that end, we are engaging in on-going discussion with a range of stakeholders to ensure students are supported throughout this uncertain period …” (more)
[USI, 2 April]
“Maynooth University Library has loaned two high-tech ‘nap pods’ to frontline workers at Tallaght University Hospital. The pods, which are usually used by students to take 20-minute naps to help keep their energy levels up during a busy day at college, were transported and installed at the hospital yesterday evening …” (more, video)
[RTÉ News, 2 April]
“An advanced manufacturing research facility based in University College Dublin (UCD) has designed a face shield for medical staff working on the Covid-19 frontline in the space of a week, and is already scaling up production. Using its expertise in 3D printing, known as additive manufacturing, I-Form is aiming to provide much-needed PPE (personal protective equipment) to healthcare staff in Dublin …” (more)
[Kevin O’Sullivan, Irish Times, 2 April]
“In a quiet call centre set up in the basement of the Boole library at University College Cork (UCC), volunteers are helping tackle the spread of Covid-19 by picking up the phone and methodically making their way through a national database. Sitting 2m apart, those staffing the phones are essentially ‘firefighting’ the spread of Covid-19 …” (more)
[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 2 April]
“The creation of Ireland’s newest university through the merger of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) will play a crucial part in the national recovery from the Covid-19 crisis. Education Minister Joe McHugh has now been given clarifying details on the proposed Munster Technology University (MTU) merger by the consortium partners which aims to keep Ireland at the forefront of global technology, engineering excellence and world class research and development …” (more)
[Ralph Riegel, Independent, 2 April]
“The European Trade Union Committee for Education (ETUCE), representing 132 education trade unions and 11 million workers in 51 countries, has a unique overview of the COVID-19 crisis. Our new statement makes clear the impact of the outbreak on public education systems, societies and economies across Europe …” (more)
[European Trade Union Committee for Education, 2 April]
“Following vocal criticism from academic staff, UCD have abandoned a proposed addendum to the university’s Statement on Academic Freedom. Academics have expressed ‘shock’ at the addendum, calling the proposed changes ‘a source of embarrassment to our University’, and something that would ‘compromise’ the existing policy. UCD revised its position following the success of an online petition which garnered almost 500 signatures …” (more)
[Conor Capplis, College Tribune, 2 April]
“Most colleges and universities have cancelled or postponed this summer’s exams and have moved their teaching programme online. However, this shift might not suit everyone. Some will not have access to broadband while others will miss the various resources usually available on campus. We want to hear from you about your experience …” (more)
[Irish Times, 2 April]
“Students are to face online and offline exams in this year’s summer assessments, with assignments replacing exams in some modules, Senior Lecturer Kevin Mitchell has announced. Exams will take place between April 27th and May 9th, while assignments will be handed in between May 11th and May 15th, Mitchell told students in an email …” (more)
[Cormac Watson, Emer Moreau and Donal MacNamee, University Times, 2 April]
“Trinity’s three incumbent Senators – Lynn Ruane, David Norris and Ivana Bacik – have all held onto their seats in the Seanad, after an election that concluded on just the eighth count. Norris, a Senator since 1987, reclaimed his seat on the fourth count, with Bacik winning hers on the sixth count and Ruane following on the eighth …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 1 April]
“Incumbent Senators Rónán Mullen, Michael McDowell and Alice Mary Higgins have been re-elected to the Seanad in the National University of Ireland (NUI) panel. Mullen reached the quota on the first count with 9,642 first-preference votes. He exceeded the quota by 112 votes …” (more)
[Emer Moreau, University Times, 1 April]
“Critical thinking is the ability to objectively analyse and evaluate issues to form a judgement and our educational system is often criticised by business leaders for failing to turn out graduates proficient in critical thinking. Unfortunately it is not possible to successfully teach such generic critical thinking, as powerfully explained by Carl Hendrick, head of learning and research at Wellington College, Berkshire in an article in aeon …” (more)
[William Reville, Irish Times, 2 April]
“Trinity’s provost, vice-provost and senior lecturer have been given the power to make decisions on summer exams without having to consult College’s decision-making bodies, The University Times has learned. The move comes as Trinity battles to put in place summer exam structures amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis …” (more)
[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 1 April]
