Ninth Level Ireland

“If Boris Johnson is serious about creating ‘a global, trail-blazing Britain’ post-Brexit, he needs to make his mind up about UK participation in the Erasmus+ scheme. As it stands, the UK Government is perched precariously on the fence over remaining in the EU’s student exchange programme as the transition to Brexit looms …” (more)

[Douglas Chapman, The Scotsman, 3 July]

“United Kingdom universities could suffer a 25% drop in international students as a result of the government decision to end home student status for them in England, according to a new survey …” (more)

[Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 1 July]

“On 24 June, universities minister Michelle Donelan announced that, as a consequence of Brexit, EU and EEA students would be classified as overseas students starting from the 2021/22 academic year. They will be charged full tuition (up to £20,000 in some cases), lose access to the tuition fee loan, and no longer be eligible for many needs-based funds …” (more)

[Gábor Csontos, Guardian, 4 July]

“The United Kingdom government has confirmed that European Union (EU), other European Economic Area (EEA) and Swiss nationals commencing academic courses in England from August 2021 will no longer be charged the same tuition rates as domestic students …” (more)

[Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 26 June]

The full (draft) Programme is here; extracts related to third level are here.

“Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an analysis conducted by the European Commission of the options outlined in the Cassells report; if it will be completed in Q2 2020 as previously stated; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)

[Dáil written answers, 20 May]

“More than 2,000 students in Ireland who are seeking college places in the UK and Europe do not know if they will be able to take up their places this year due to the decision to delay the Leaving Cert. Many students have reported receiving correspondence from UK universities stating that they require their Leaving Cert results by August 31st …” (more)

[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 6 May]

“The EU’s top scientist has resigned and criticised the bloc’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Professor Mauro Ferrari, president of the European Research Council, said he was ‘extremely disappointed by the European response to Covid-19’ …” (more)

[Jon Stone, Independent, 8 April]

“Trinity’s TSM (Two Subject Moderatorship) office appeared to cast doubt over the possibility of foreign exchange programmes going ahead next year due to the coronavirus pandemic in an email circulated to all TSM Erasmus and Non-EU Exchange candidates in their Senior Fresh year …” (more)

[Madalyn Williams, Trinity News, 3 April]

“Four Irish researchers are to benefit from a total of €10 million in grants to study the ancient genetic make-up of farm animals, complete a data analysis of 36,000 Victorian-era books, examine the impact of extreme trauma and investigate novel substances that could reduce energy and carbon footprints. The European Research Council (ERC), an EU institution, has allocated €2.5 million to each of the projects under its ‘advanced grant’ programme, which seeks to facilitate exploration of the most daring and creative ideas …” (more)

[Kevin O’Sullivan, Irish Times, 31 March]

“Researchers from University College Cork, University College Dublin and Trinity College Dublin, as well as a number of Irish startup companies, were among the successful applicants to a new €344m European pilot innovation fund. The Irish universities were chosen from among what the European Innovation Council (EIC), which runs the fund, described as 100 game-changing ideas from across Europe …” (more)

[Fearghal O’Connor, Independent, 15 March]

“Quitting the EU’s Erasmus student exchange programme would ‘blow a hole’ in the UK’s economy, taking away income of £243m a year and depriving 17,000 British young people of valuable work experience, according to a group of education and business leaders …” (more)

[Richard Adams, Guardian, 8 March]

“Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald, has called for the rights of students and young people to be protected in the aftermath of Brexit. The party’s Economy spokesperson said: …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 4 March]

“Individual countries are failing to champion European Union research spending, raising doubts about the bloc as a serious funder of science, university lobbyists in Brussels have warned after a recent budget summit ended in deadlock. In recent years, Brussels policymakers have talked up research and innovation as a key part of what the EU does …” (more)

[David Matthews, Times Higher Education, 2 March]

“Trinity has announced a commitment to advocating for the United Kingdom’s continued membership in the Erasmus+ programme. In a email sent to all staff and students, Julia Carmichael, Trinity’s Chief Risk Officer (CRO) wrote that ‘we at Trinity will be at pains to show over the coming months that it is in the interests of the UK to continue the academic relationship it has with EU countries, particularly Ireland’ …” (more)

[Madalyn Williams, Trinity News, 21 February]

“UK academics love the ERC, but selective participation in Horizon Europe is unlikely to be on the table, says John Womersley. Right at the end of the UK prime minister’s recent parliamentary statement on British intentions during the next 11 months of negotiations with the European Union comes a brief sentence on which the UK’s research and higher education communities are pinning great hope …” (more)

[Times Higher Education, 20 February]

“An EU research head says that he is ‘optimistic’ that there will continue to be close scientific collaboration with the UK after Brexit. Prof Mauro Ferrari said that science bodies on both sides of the Channel want close existing links to continue …” (more)

[Pallab Ghosh, BBC News, 15 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]

“Sinn Féin MLA Caoimhe Archibald had said Brexit must not be allowed to damage scientific research and that the concerns of the scientific community must be heard. The party’s climate and economy spokesperson was speaking after representatives of university, research and science groups across Europe issued a statement calling for universities in Britain and the north to have ‘full association’ with European research projects after Brexit …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 3 February]

“I am trying to decide whether to remove the Twitter ‘Scientists for the EU’ twibbon from my profile. I still am a scientist and I’m still pro EU, but there’s no longer quite the same message to be conveyed …” (more)

[Athene Donald’s Blog, 2 February]