“The justice minister has pledged to review the asylum application of a Cork-based family facing deportation. The Khan family have been living in direct provision since arriving in Ireland from Saudi Arabia in 2017 …” (more)
[EchoLive, 15 January]
“A UCC lecturer has said there are days when he is ‘afraid’ and he worries about Irish white terrorism after being targeted by disturbing online abuse. Dr Amanullah De Sondy, who is a senior lecturer in Contemporary Islam, says that he will not stop challenging the people who seek to spread hate …” (more)
[Áine Kenny, EchoLive, 8 January]
“An asylum seeker in Direct Provision has highlighted how difficult it can be to undertake third-level education while living in unsuitable accommodation. Lesley Mkoko (51) is a mature student in his second year studying sociology at University College Dublin (UCD) through the University of Sanctuary scheme …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 5 January]
Abstract: To address the present research gap on relations between motivational beliefs, self-regulation failure, and psychological health in post-secondary faculty, the present study used associative latent growth modeling to longitudinally examine relationships between self-efficacy, procrastination, and burnout (emotional exhaustion) in faculty internationally. Findings from 3,071 faculty participants (70% female, 69 countries) over three time points (5-6 month lags) showed greater self-efficacy at baseline to correspond with lower procrastination and burnout, and procrastination to be positively related to burnout (intercepts). Growth analyses additionally revealed stronger relations between increases in self-efficacy, procrastination, and burnout over time (slopes). Supplemental cross-lagged analyses provided causal evidence of burnout as an antecedent of self-efficacy and procrastination, underscoring intervention and policy efforts to address overwork and exhaustion in post-secondary faculty.
Nathan C Hall, So Yeon Lee and Sonia Rahimi, Self-efficacy, procrastination, and burnout in post-secondary faculty: An international longitudinal analysis, PLOS-ONE. Published: December 30, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0226716.
“Today is the last day at work for most people, though many will have taken today off – especially those travelling. It is a quiet day in the College, and the roads were also very quiet coming into Dublin too. Despite this, it is one of my favourite days of the year …” (more)
[Careful With That Axe, Eugene, 23 December]
“TK Whitaker may be known as the man who made modern Ireland, but the highly respected civil servant wasn’t the only person who helped make the State what it is today …” (more)
[Charlie Taylor, Irish Times, 19 December]
“So it’s 6pm on Wednesday 18th December and I’ve just given my 24th and last Astrophysics & Cosmology lecture for the term at Maynooth University. Earlier this afternoon I gave my 36th and last first-year Mechanics & Special Relativity module so that’s over for the year too. That makes 60 lectures for the semester …” (more)
[In the Dark, 18 December]
“She sat in the front row of my classroom, quiet but engaged. She didn’t raise her hand, but when I invited her into the conversation or asked students to speak to one another, she showed she had done the reading and had thought about it …” (more)
[James Lang, Chronicle of Higher Education, 8 December]
“It is common for many employees to send, read and reply to work emails at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. This change in work culture developed in recent decades and has accelerated with the advent of smartphones. But is this a breach of employment law? …” (more)
[Darius Whelan, The Conversation, 6 December]
Abstract: Given the significant transformations underway in academia, it is pertinent to ask whether the traditional notion of entering the profession in response to a calling is still relevant. This article draws together hitherto unconnected strands of German and Anglo-Saxon literature on callings, then analyzes biographical narratives of 40 social scientists in Germany and the United States. The comparative analysis of the timing, sources, and nature of the respondents’ decision to become academics finds that almost all exhibit a calling orientation. However, their responses no longer correspond to the classical, passive notion; instead, callings in academia have become agentic. In the context of a wider societal trend to self-realization, academia has been transformed to an activity that people pursue because they want to rather than because destiny or an external force pushes them to make such a commitment. The recognition of the social nature of callings is underscored by the significance of professional mentors and family. The unexpected predominance of similarities in the cross-national comparison of calling orientation suggests that the internationalization of academic standards and procedures and the high level of competition for few positions in both contexts may outweigh the effects of culture and tradition.
Ariane Berthoin Antal and Jan-Christoph Rogge, Does Academia Still Call? Experiences of Academics in Germany and the United States. Minerva. First Online: 7 December 2019.
“Trinity students are living in fear. In the Arts Block, students whisper in huddled groups. At lunchtime, they sit on the floor together and cry into their Sprout salad boxes. In between lectures, they rush from one building to the next, anxiously looking over their shoulders at every turn. Students are being plagued by a winged monster: namely, the herring gull …” (more)
[Hugh Whelan, Trinity News, 2 December]
“Mí na Nollag (the Month of Christmas) is how you say December in the Irish language. Today is the first of that month, which it makes it precisely two years to the day since I started work at Maynooth University …” (more)
[In the Dark, 1 December]
“Up to 20 students every week are availing of a Food Bank that’s been set up at University College Cork. The parcels are a direct response to those experiencing poverty but who the student union couldn’t immediately offer financial help to …” (more)
[Irish Examiner, 15 November]
“Job applications can be stressful. First there’s the pressure of making sure the CV has highlighted all the right skills, and there are no spelling mistakes. Then there’s the first and second round of interviews and, often, a long wait to hear back …” (more)
[Peter McGuire, Irish Times, 12 November]
“This week, University College Cork (UCC) became the first Irish university in modern times to open a food bank for struggling students. The organiser, University College Cork Students’ Union (UCCSU), follows in the footsteps of several smaller institutes, which have recently reported on the success of food bank initiatives in their colleges. That such measures are needed, however, no doubt sounded alarm bells for many …” (more)
[University Times, 4 November]
“Ireland ranks 13th out of 23 European countries when it comes to pay levels for graduates with a bachelor’s degree. Those leaving college here can expect to earn around €31,075, just over a quarter more than the average salary of someone who finishes their education after secondary school. The figures come in a report from insurance and consulting group Willis Towers Watson …” (more)
[Ellie Donnelly, Independent, 25 October]
“To ensure accessibility of education and the well-being of its students, UCD should make its fees proportional to parental income. Not all fees are covered by the free fees initiative and Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). The most daunting factor of university is accommodation. With the rising cost of living in Dublin, any undue financial burden could keep a student from being able to attend school …” (more)
[University Observer, 12 October]
Abstract: Some of the main concerns in international higher education are the feeling of isolation among international students and their inability to adapt to the host environment, which may result in sub-optimal academic performance. Theoretically, peer learning can be an effective method to reduce these problems since it has the capacity to address isolation and adaptability issues among international students in a way that improves their learning experience and outcomes. Given the above, our study was designed to investigate this topic, focusing on the experience of international students. In this exploratory case study of a leading Irish university, we adopted a survey method via questionnaire to quantify and compare the experiences of a sample of international students at the said university. Five aspects of peer learning were explored, namely usage rate, current practices, outcomes, challenges, and coping strategies. We also included an open-ended section in the survey instrument for respondents to offer qualitative suggestions to the host institution. Through methodological triangulation of the quantitative and qualitative data, we discovered diverse practices, challenges, and outcomes of peer learning across different groups of international students in this university. The paper concludes with a discussion of research implications and suggestions for future studies.
Idris, A, Ion, G, Seery A Peer learning in international higher education: the experience of international students in an Irish university, Irish Educational Studies, 2018, 38, 1, 1-24.
“Leading sugar baby website, Seeking Arrangement, has reported that UCD had the highest number of new sign ups to their site in 2018, with 93 students registering stating they attended the university. UCDSU Welfare Officer Úna Carroll has described the surge in sign ups as ‘not surprising at all’ …” (more)
[Gavin Tracey and Aoife Mawn, University Observer, 8 October]
“Julia Bochenek, a second-year English Literature student at Trinity, is one of the many international students living in one of Dublin’s – and Ireland’s – many deluxe purpose-built student accommodation complexes …” (more)
[Rachel O’Leary, University Times, 5 October]
