Ninth Level Ireland

“Students at prestigious universities have been turned away from overcrowded lectures and told to watch classes online or in overflow rooms. The Observer found that students paying £9,250 or more in Manchester, Nottingham and Lancaster, had struggled to get a seat in lectures. Manchester University maths students in a 600-capacity hall were given slips with a link to a YouTube live stream and told they could ‘sit in a coffee shop’ and watch …” (more)

[Josh Sandiford, Guardian, 15 February]

“An unpublished study on the impact of bonus points for students who answer the Leaving Cert through Irish has questioned the fairness of the measure. Under rules that date back to the mid-1920s, any student who answers a written exam in Irish may receive bonus marks of up to 10%, depending on the subject …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 10 February]

“The Irish Universities Association (IUA) has joined 36 other higher education and research organisations from across the European Union and the United Kingdom in a joint declaration of cooperation on research and student exchange. All 37 pan-European organisations have signed the statement calling on governments across Europe for their continued commitment to the Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe programmes …” (more)

[IUA, 3 February]

“The deadly coronavirus outbreak could have a major impact on international student mobility, sector leaders have warned, after thousands of learners were left stranded in China. Australia, New Zealand, the US and Singapore were among countries that had banned entry to foreigners travelling from China as of the start of this week, while Japan and South Korea were denying entry to travellers from Hubei province, the centre of the outbreak …” (more)

[Jack Grove, Times Higher Education, 4 February]

“What does the UK withdrawal from the EU mean for College’s relationship with Northern Ireland? The United Kingdom exited the European Union at 11pm on 31 January 2020. Sparked by a narrow victory of 51.9% for the Leave campaign in the UK’s June 2016 referendum on EU membership, the date marked the end of a period of debate and delay lasting more than three and a half years …” (more)

[Isabella Noonen, Trinity News, 1 February]

“With the legal formalities for Britain’s exit from the EU now complete, the university world of the UK and the EU is looking to Phase 2. After three and a half years of regret and frustration, they have a plan in hand. However, this could well be derailed, since at the same time the Johnson Government will be negotiating the future trading relationship with the EU, where the outcome is unpredictable, write Anne Corbett and Claire Gordon …” (more)

[LSE Brexit Blog, 31 January]

“The third-level sector is currently underfunded, and a system of student loans should not be introduced, each of the major parties’ spokespeople on education agree. However, the parties remain divided on how best to address such a funding deficit, identified in the landmark Cassells report, first published in 2016 …” (more)

[Jess Casey, Irish Examiner, 28 January]

“Social Justice Ireland says students from disadvantaged areas need greater access to third level. High pupil to teacher ratios and large class sizes in schools must be addressed by the next government, Social Justice Ireland (SJI) has said …” (more)

[Jack Power, Irish Times, 29 January]

“Students in Dublin, Cork, Limerick and Galway are more likely to stay within their own county to study at third level. That is according to the latest School League Table published in today’s Sunday Independent. The latest data shows that many Leaving Cert students are choosing a college or university close to home …” (more)

[Irish Examiner, 26 January]

“Fianna Fáil has pledged an extra €100 million a year in core funding for higher education, but refused to commit to any of the three options outlined in the 2016 Cassells report. The party is also promising a 20% increase in undergraduate state grants, a restoration of postgraduate grants and the maintenance of fees at their current level, Fianna Fáil education spokesperson Thomas Byrne said at a press briefing this morning …” (more)

[Donal MacNamee, University Times, 23 January]

“Fianna Fáil will spend an additional €100 million per year and freeze higher education fees at their current levels should it be elected, while reducing primary teacher-student ratios to 20:1, the party said. At its education policy launch at party HQ in Dublin …” (more)

[Cianan Brennan, Irish Examiner, 23 January]

“IFUT calls on all parties forming the next government to adopt the following as part of the Programme for Government: 1. Phase out student fees and revise the grant system to address the excessive costs for so many in, or contemplating entering, Higher Education …” (more)

[IFUT, 20 January]

“Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said raising tuition fees in Northern Ireland is ‘not the way to go’ to plug any shortfall in funding from the UK Government. Her comments come just days after First Minister Arlene Foster stated there will have to be a ‘positive debate’ on the issue. Currently, students pay up to £4,275 a year to study in Northern Ireland, compared to up to £9,250 in England …” (more)

[Andrew Madden, Belfast Telegraph, 19 January]

“Speaking tonight on the issue of student fees Sinn Féin economy spokesperson Caoimhe Archibald MLA said: ‘In the south we have costed budget proposals to begin the process of removing student contribution charges, however here in the north we are constrained by the block grant and more challenging budgetary conditions and a lack of fiscal powers …'” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 17 January]

“Sir, – As a working parent, I have come to the conclusion that you have to be very rich or very poor to qualify for grants or scholarships. Those of us in the middle-income class who do not meet the threshold of being under a certain reckonable income do not qualify and must pay the full amount of fees and accommodation if our children wish to progress in these third-level institutions …” (more)

[Christy Galligan, Irish Times, 17 January]

“The 2020 Call for proposals is being launched today, 16th January. The Springboard+ Call is being run in conjunction with the Call for applications under Pillar One of the Human Capital Initiative. The Human Capital Initiative (HCI) will deliver an investment targeted towards increasing capacity in higher education in skills-focused programmes designed to meet priority skills needs …” (more)

[Maria Cross, HEA, 16 January]

“The number of students studying or doing traineeships abroad is increasing as a growing number of undergraduates see the value of foreign experience. Figures from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) show that the number of students participating in the EU’s Erasmus+ programme has doubled over the past decade …” (more)

[Kim Bielenberg, Independent, 15 January]

“Last week, the government reassured Irish students travelling to study in Northern Ireland and the UK – and those coming in the opposite direction – that existing fee arrangements would be maintained for another year. In January of last year, 364 days ago and three weeks before the February CAO deadline, students starting in September 2019 got the same assurance …” (more)

[University Times, 12 January]

“Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education, Thomas Byrne, has questioned why the number of students in receipt of the SUSI grant is declining while the number of students attending third level education is increasing …” (more)

[Fianna Fáil, 12 January]

“Irish students hoping to study at UK universities next September will not face a hike in fees and can continue to avail of Irish grant support despite the UK’s scheduled exit from the EU at the end of the month, according to the Department of Education. In a statement released on Friday, Minister for Education Joe McHugh said the current fee regime and grants support for Irish students studying at UK institutions from September 2020 would remain in place …” (more)

[Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 10 January]