“Deis-designated schools saw an increase in student progression to third-level education in 2020, but social class remains a significant factor in determining the level of educational attainment achieved by students in Ireland, according to figures compiled by The Irish Times …” (more)
[Brian Mooney, Irish Times, 8 January]
“The president of the Association of Secondary Students in Ireland (ASTI) has said that State exams must go ahead in 2021 ‘no matter what’. Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Today show, Ms Piggott said that the content of exam papers may need to be changed because of the current situation …” (more)
[Vivienne Clarke, Irish Examiner, 5 January]
“The Trinity College acting academy which produced nine of the stars of Normal People has received a surge in applications from budding actors. It was the ultimate case of art imitating life when a string of graduates of The Lir National Academy of Dramatic Art at Trinity College landed roles in the coming-of-age love story set in the country’s oldest university …” (more)
[Lynne Kelleher, Independent, 3 January]
“Sir, – The proposal to spend €2.1 million of tax money to fund Northern Irish students on the Erasmus scheme is unacceptable. The idea that our Government could contemplate funding students in the UK …” (more)
[Letters, Irish Times, 31 December]
“Ireland historically had low take up of programme – says Cork based MEP Deirdre Clune, but budget available for Erasmus expected to double over the coming years, so now is the time to ramp up numbers …” (more)
[Elaine Murphy, TheCork.ie, 30 December]
“The two local universities are considering taking advantage of a new UK student foreign exchange programme while also being able to avail of the EU’s Erasmus scheme. The UK’s withdrawal from Erasmus has been described as a huge blow by the other devolved nations, which will no longer be able to participate …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 29 December]
“The decision for the UK to withdraw from the Erasmus student exchange programme has been described as ‘a huge blow’ by the Scottish Government’s Universities Minister. Richard Lochhead lamented the decision to leave the scheme as part of the UK leaving the European Union …” (more)
[Douglas Barrie, Belfast Telegraph, 28 December]
“The number of students studying remotely in Irish third-level institutions increased significantly in the years before the Covid-19 pandemic, according to new research. The Department of Education report, published on Monday, reveals those studying part-time or in flexible way, including remote online learning, has increased steadily, rising by more than a third from 6,015 in 2015 to 9,207 in 2018 …” (more)
[Sorcha Pollak, Irish Times, 28 December]
“The news that the UK is to leave the Erasmus+ scheme for student exchanges shouldn’t have come as a surprise. After all, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson explicitly promised in the House of Commons that it wouldn’t happen and what he says is virtually guaranteed to be the opposite of the truth …” (more)
[In the Dark, 27 December]
“Third level students from Northern Ireland colleges will continue to be able to study in Europe under the Erasmus+ scheme after the UK leaves the EU because the Irish Government will fund them. The estimated cost will be around €2.1m per year …” (more)
[Vincent Kearney, RTÉ News, 26 December]
“Its loss would have little material effect on the lives of most British citizens and the talks on its future were understandably overshadowed by the larger stand-off over the long-term trading relationship between the European Union and the UK. Yet there was something profoundly sad about the news, announced last week and barely noted in parts of the British media, that the UK was unlikely to remain in the Erasmus study abroad scheme …” (more)
[Ruadhán Mac Cormaic, Irish Times, 26 December]
“A replacement for the Erasmus study exchange scheme will begin next September, the government says, amid an outcry over the ‘short-sighted and mean-spirited’ decision to pull out of it. The Brexit deal will end UK participation in the much-praised programme – despite Boris Johnson vowing, in the Commons, that his plans posed ‘no threat’ to it …” (more)
[Rob Merrick, Independent, 26 December]
“Students at NI universities can continue to participate in the Erasmus scheme under an arrangement with the Irish government. Erasmus is an EU programme that helps students study in other countries. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced that the UK will not continue to participate in it and will be replacing it with a new scheme …” (more)
[John Campbell, BBC News NI, 24 December]
“The Erasmus student exchange programme will be replaced in the UK by a worldwide scheme named after code breaker Alan Turing, the Prime Minister has said. Speaking after the announcement of a trade deal between the UK and the European Union, Boris Johnson said the UK had made a ‘tough decision’ to pull out of the programme for financial reasons …” (more)
[Jess Glass, Belfast Telegraph, 24 December]
“British students will no longer be able to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme under the Brexit deal agreed by Boris Johnson. Speaking at a press conference after the deal was agreed, EU chief negotiator Michel Barnier said: ‘The British government decided not to participate in the Erasmus exchange programme’. At the press conference on the new deal, Boris Johnson ‘it was a tough decision’ to leave the scheme …” (more)
[Jon Stone and Bethany Dawson, Independent, 24 December]
“University fees will not rise during the lifetime of this Government, Taoiseach Micheal Martin has said. Irish students currently face annual fees of up to €3,000 to attend college, a rate that is among the highest in Europe …” (more)
[James Ward, Belfast Telegraph, 23 December]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has today announced his decision to continue supports for under-represented groups seeking to access higher education. This decision will see additional funding of €7.5m over the next three year period to support access …” (more)
[gov.ie, 23 December]
“Students could get Leaving Cert points for completing accredited work experience or apprenticeships while still in school under draft plans being examined for reforming the senior cycle. An advisory report on proposals to reform the senior cycle is being finalised by the State advisory body on the curriculum and is due to be sent to the Minister for Education, Norma Foley, early next year …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 21 December]
“We have all experienced offensive and hurtful behaviour, similarly, we have all said and done things we regret and which reflect badly upon us. The reverberations and effect of behaving and speaking in careless and offensive ways or in being subjected to such language or behaviour is so much more humiliating and painful if this happens publicly …” (more)
[Úna Kealy, Irish Examiner, 18 December]
“Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris TD has confirmed that almost 71,000 students will receive an additional €250 in their student grant payment starting today (Thursday). As part of Budget 2021, Minister Harris secured a €250 payment to all full-time EU students in publicly-funded higher education institutions to acknowledge the impact this pandemic has had on third-level students …” (more)
[gov.ie, 17 December]
