“The HEA Key Facts and Figures 2010/11 provides an overview of data from the Irish higher education system. It provides a ‘picture by numbers’ of the sector, highlighting the key trends for the year as well as information on: New entrants to the sector; Enrolments; Graduate data; Student details; …” (more)
[Higher Education Authority, 22 February]
“Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give a commitment that no decision will be made on the future of third level institutes by him or the Higher Education Authority prior all submissions being received, acknowledged and consulted with …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann, 21 February]
“Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent discussion paper by the Higher Education Authority on the future of higher education; and the likely timescale for decisions on the structures that are likely to emerge …” (more)
[Dáil Éireann Written Answers, 16 February]
“President of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) Dr Brendan Murphy remains committed to the planned Munster Technological University – which would see the amalgamation of CIT with Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT) – despite his criticism of the Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) blueprint for such an institution earlier this week …” (more)
[Brian Byrne, Studenty_Cork, 17 February]
“A university president has warned that any more delays in solving the funding crisis in higher education will damage thousands of students …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 17 February]
“It is the demand for higher education that is of the highest quality which is providing the impetus for reform at third level. A key conclusion of the National Strategy for Higher Education (Hunt Report) was that, notwithstanding many strengths, Ireland was not best served by a system of stand-alone universities …” (more)
[Tom Boland, Independent, 15 February]
“Trinity College Dublin’s school of medicine, the country’s oldest medical school, was yesterday formally moved to the university’s new Biomedical Sciences Institute on Pearse Street …” (more)
[Eoin Burke-Kennedy, Irish Times, 16 February]
“Trinity College Dublin’s (TCD) new School of Medicine was officially opened today by the Minister for Research and Innovation, Seán Sherlock. Set in the Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute, the school got funding of just over €21m from the Higher Education Authority/Department of Education & Skills …” (more)
[Carmel Doyle, Silicon Republic, 15 February]
“The Higher Education Authority (HEA), since the appointment of chairman, John Hennessy, is largely seen as a kind of attack dog that has been set loose on Irish higher education, in order to force ‘efficiencies’ and an industry focus upon institutes of technology (IoTs) and universities, and generally, in the words of the great and fictitious prime minister, Francis Urquhart, to put a bit of stick about …” (more)
[The Norman Wyse Commentary, 14 February]
“The President of IT Sligo, Professor Terri Scott, said it is the ambition of IT Sligo to be part of a Technological University in the Border Midlands and Western Region …” (more)
[Donegal Democrat, 14 February]
“The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has demanded that any proposals from the HEA to merge structures of third-level colleges must be subject to full consultation with staff in advance of any HEA submissions to the Minister for Education …” (more)
[Irish Federation of University Teachers, 14 February]
“All third-level institutions have been given six months to respond to official proposals which would result in the merger of many smaller colleges and the development of regional clusters of universities or institutes of technology …” (more)
[Carl O'Brien, Irish Times, 14 February]
“The president of Cork Institute of Technology says the standards needed to become a technological university are too focused on research and not enough on meeting the needs of industry and the regions …” (more)
[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 14 February]
“The Higher Education Authority (HEA) has, as part of its programme for implementing the national higher education strategy in Ireland (the Hunt report), has issued a paper setting out how it hopes to develop the structure of the system from its present state …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 14 February]
“Institutes of technology are in a race to become Ireland’s first technological university. The proposal for one, or more, technological universities is part of a major shake-up in Irish higher education unveiled yesterday …” (more)
[Katherine Donnelly, Independent, 14 February]
“Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Education and Skills Brendan Smith has welcomed the publication of reports from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) today aimed at achieving greater cohesion within the third level sector in this country …” (more)
[Fianna Fáil, 13 February]
“The HEA has published its plans for reforming higher education in Ireland. A high level summary is here. There are two more substantive documents (here and here) that partly overlap …” (more)
[Richard Tol, Irish Economy, 13 February]
“IBEC, the group that represents Irish business, today welcomed the new Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) proposals for a more coherent and integrated third-level system, but warned that there is important unfinished business with regard to putting higher education funding on a more sustainable footing …” (more)
[IBEC, 13 February]
“New plans for funding Irish colleges, published this morning, will require smaller colleges to merge with larger ones if they are to keep their state assistance …” (more)
[TheJournal.ie, 13 February]
“LIT president Dr Maria Hinfelaar has declared herself ’100% confident’ the proposal to establish a Munster Technological University will go ahead. The plan, which would see LIT, Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Institute of Technology Tralee (IT Tralee) band together to form an amalgamated unit and thereby create the largest higher education institution in the region, would also bring Limerick’s tally of universities to two …” (more)
[Alan Owens, Limerick Leader, 13 February]
