“Sinn Féin Senator Fintan Warfield today called on the Government to directly intervene in cases where key components of university courses have not proceeded due to Covid-19, and to ask for reductions in fees for the next academic year. Speaking on the issue in the Seanad today, Senator Warfield said …” (more)
[Sinn Féin, 26 January]
“The EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement, commonly known as the ‘Brexit deal’, has been welcomed by the UK and EU research communities, as it states the political will to continue close scientific cooperation under Horizon Europe, the 9th European research programme. The terms and conditions to join the programme as an associated member still need to be negotiated and agreed. However, the Brexit deal puts an end to a climate of uncertainty for UK-based researchers that started in June 2016 with the Brexit vote in the middle of Horizon 2020, Horizon Europe’s predecessor …” (more)
[Marco Cavallaro, LSE, 26 January]
“It’s time to rethink the Leaving Certificate. The cancellation of last summer’s exam and the debacle over calculated grades exposed the main weakness in the current system – an over-reliance on a written final exam, and the under-use of other complementary forms of assessment …” (more)
[Patrick Prendergast, Irish Times, 26 January]
“‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better’. So wrote Samuel Beckett in his novella Worstward Ho. Yet should a present-day Beckett, elected a Scholar of Modern Languages in 1926, seek to apply his quote to Schols, he might be tempted to adapt his words: ‘Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Go home’ …” (more)
[Ryan Alberto Ó Giobúin, University Times, 25 January]
“In the past century, universities have risen to occupy a central place in the knowledge economy, from fostering innovation to attracting promising international students and researchers, and being an anchor for regional and national economic development. Universities are integral to public policy. Never before have institutions of higher education been so influential and powerful in the lives of families, communities and in the state …” (more)
[Thomas Klassen, The Conversation, 25 January]
“Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) and Trinity Environmental Society have launched a petition urging candidates in the upcoming Provost elections to prioritise climate action during their term. The petition is calling on candidates to commit to a number of measures to increase the steps College is taking in the fight against climate change …” (more)
[Sárán Fogarty, University Times, 25 January]
“Union leaders are appealing to NUI Galway to show compassion to students who are sitting exams. Students’ Union leaders from GMIT, UCC, Trinity College Dublin and the Union of Students in Ireland have written to the NUIG President and Vice President to voice concern’s over the university’s opposition to the introduction of policies aimed at supporting students …” (more)
[Galway Bay FM, 25 January]
“Over 40,000 higher education students across the country are being asked for their opinions about drugs. A new study by the Student Health Service at University College Cork is underway with the aim of contributing to harm-reduction policies …” (more)
[Red FM, 25 January]
“The €250 ‘once-off credit’ given to students before Christmas is subject to a €50 tax claw back for up to 33,200 students. A fee refund of €250 was given to students of third level institutions before Christmas to compensate for the lack of on-campus teaching after being announced in Budget 2021 …” (more)
[Hugh Dooley, College Tribune, 25 January]
