Ninth Level Ireland

“University College Cork (UCC) students have hit out as their college capitation fees will more than double in the next four years. Each year, students must pay a capitation fee to cover the cost of things like membership of the Union of Students Ireland (USI) and recreational facilities and to cover the cost of counselling services …” (more)

[Callum Lavery, Independent, 18 June]

“University College Cork students have said they are ‘absolutely distraught’ at the university’s plans to more than double the student capitation fee. The fee is currently €170 per student per year but is increasing to €250 for incoming first years this autumn and will continue to rise until it reaches €370 in 2023 …” (more)

[Gráinne McGuinness, EchoLive, 16 June]

“From a sample size of three, I have decided that the Leaving Cert is by far the most punishing way of getting into university. Our children were mostly home-educated and – so far – have all taken different routes to third level: A-levels, QQI-FET courses and, this June, the Leaving Cert …” (more)

[Breda O’Brien, Irish Times, 15 June]

“Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on recent proposals (details supplied) to grant CAO points for students’ civic activity; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 11 June]

“Margaret Murphy O’Mahony (Cork South West, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students enrolled in higher education in each of the years 2012 to 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 11 June]

“European Union (EU) students starting university in Northern Ireland in 2020 will pay the same tuition fees as local students. The Department for the Economy (DE) confirmed they will be guaranteed ‘home fee’ during their courses. It follows similar announcements in England and Scotland …” (more)

[Robbie Meredith, BBC News NI, 8 June]

“Universities say the surge in Leaving Cert candidate numbers evident this year must trigger an increase in Government funding to cater for student demand coming down the tracks. More than 124,000 students start the State exams today, the highest figure in years, and one that will continue growing until the mid 2020s at least …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 5 June]

“The Department of Education has lowered the eligibility criteria for a scheme which enables asylum seeker students to go on to third level education here. The change comes amid criticism that the programme was too restrictive. School leavers applying to the Student Support Scheme must now have spent three years in the Irish education system, as opposed to five years as was previously required …” (more)

[Emma O Kelly, RTÉ News, 4 June]

“The Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD together with the Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor TD today (4 June, 2019) announced a grant support scheme for asylum seekers in third level education will continue for 2019/20. The Pilot Student Support Scheme, which was introduced in 2015, will be open for prospective students who are in the broad international protection system …” (more)

[Department of Education and Skills, 4 June]

“Leaving Cert candidate numbers have surged to their highest level in 15 years, with a hike in ambitious students planning to sit subjects at ‘honours’ level. The baby boom children from the turn of the millennium are now reaching the end of their school years, meaning entries are up 3% …” (more)

[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 4 June]

“In April, when The University Times first revealed that the College was considering scrapping its admissions feasibility study, many students were predictably unhappy. Why, some asked, was Trinity planning to do away with a system that offered a precious alternative to some – if arguably not enough – incoming students? This week, The University Times reported that University Council has decided to extend the scheme by a further two years …” (more)

[University Times, 3 June]

“College will extend its admissions feasibility study for another two years, after questions over its future were raised earlier this year. Trinity’s admission’s feasibility study offers places in certain courses based on criteria other than CAO points, including the relative rank of a student in their second-level class …” (more)

[Katy Amos, University Times, 3 June]

“With this year’s State examinations almost upon us, and a review of the senior cycle underway, it is perhaps timely to consider how that review should proceed. The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) represents second level teachers as well as teachers in further and adult education and third level lecturers …” (more)

[Seamus Lahart, Irish Times, 3 June]

“One of the items that sneaked out in the news last week was the Augar report on the future of post-18 education and funding in England. A review led by a former equities broker was never likely to be friendly to the higher education sector, and so it seems to have turned out …” (more)

[In the Dark, 2 June]

“The head of the Rhodes scholarship programme has dismissed as ‘misleading’ claims by the US-Ireland Alliance that a majority of students choose its scholarship instead. The Mitchell scholarship, which is managed by Trina Vargo, the head of the US-Ireland Alliance, was established almost 20 years ago and named after Senator George Mitchell …” (more)

[Suzanne Lynch, Irish Times, 3 June]

“Colleges fees paid for players, paid work experience and career mentoring: welcome to the new frontier of club sponsorship in the GAA. Traditionally, a company’s involvement with their local club might have amounted to funding a set of tracksuits or some money. But Dalkey-based Cuala in Dublin has entered into a new era of a ‘partnership’ with the American biotech firm Amgen which involves education and employment opportunities …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 1 June]

“Leaving Cert pupils who suffer bereavement of close relatives during next month’s exams will be able to sit alternative papers in July. The new move follows long-standing criticism over the existing system which offered little accommodation for bereaved students …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 31 May]

“June heralds not only the beginning of the Leaving Certificate but also the annual debate about whether the high stake exams are still fit for purpose. The typical complaints are that the Leaving Certificate causes too much stress and that it fails to develop critical thinking among students …” (more)

[TheJournal.ie, 31 May]

“Regular readers of this blog will know that last year I was still employed part of the time at Cardiff University and during that period I was participating in strike action called by the Universities and Colleges Union (UCU) over pensions. As a result of that action students on my module on Physics of the Early Universe missed quite a lot of lectures (and I was docked a large fraction of my pay) …” (more)

[In the Dark, 22 May]

“A review of teacher training programmes in Ireland has criticised the level of fees charged to students studying to become teachers, and says course changes introduced seven years ago have contributed to the current shortage of post-primary teachers …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 22 May]