“A college society consisting of up-and-coming Irish entrepreneurs has been officially disbanded after allegations of funding misuse involving a trip to Budapest. The DCU Entrepreneurial and Social (E&S) society, which has over 1,000 members, was initially suspended after doubts over the trip first arose …” (more)
[Jennifer Bray, Sunday Tribune, 28 February]
“… Congrats to our CUSAI girls’ and lads’ teams, who both won their last qualifier games before the finals by three sets to none (25-5, 25-4, 25-15 for the girls, and 25-19, 25-23, 25-15 for the lads). In fairness, it was disappointing the girls did not meet the opposition that befitted them, making for a boring match …” (more)
[Volleyball Club NUI Maynooth, 28 February]
“The study of modern languages and could die out within the next 20 years because of the government’s focus on science subjects, leading academics have warned. A group of 14 influential figures, including leading academics and influential figures in the arts, has issued the warning in response to higher-education funding cuts …” (more)
[Paul Stokes, Sunday Telegraph, 28 February]
“A decision by the High Court of Australia earlier this month has dispelled assumptions by universities that they, as with private companies, automatically own the intellectual property rights to discoveries or inventions of their staff …” (more)
[Geoff Maslen, University World News, 28 February]
“An influential group of leading academics and cultural figures has issued a stark warning that they fear for the future of the arts and humanities in British universities …” (more)
[Anushka Asthana and Rachel Williams, Observer, 28 February]
“Branch campuses are sprouting around the world, like mushrooms after a heavy rain. According to the Observatory on Borderless Higher Education, the number of branch campuses have increased by 43% to a total of 162 between 2006 and 2009. Many of the growing mushrooms may only hold a limited lifespan and a few might be poisonous …” (more)
[Philip G Altbach, University World News, 28 February]
“On March 11th and 12th, an event that is only apparently insignificant and self-referential will take place in Budapest and Wien: the celebration of the anniversary of the Bologna Process, the reform of the university system drawn up ten years ago and progressively applied in the European countries …” (more)
[Nelson Fraga, Parar Bolonha, 28 February]
“Amy Bishop, neuroscientist, inventor, murder suspect, has become bigger than life, a symbol for those who think that genius is close to madness, or that women cannot get ahead in science, or that tenure systems in universities are brutalising – or even that progress against fatal diseases is so important that someone like Bishop should be set free to pursue cures …” (more)
[Gina Kolata, University World News, 28 February]
“With its sterling reputation and its scientific bent, Shanghai Jiaotong University has the feel of an Ivy League institution. The university has alliances with elite American institutions and it is so rich in science and engineering talent that Microsoft and Intel have moved into a research park directly adjacent to the school. But Jiaotong, whose sprawling campus has more than 33,000 students, is facing an unpleasant question: is it a base for sophisticated computer hackers? …” (more)
[David Barboza, University World News, 28 February]
“Bizarre allegations from a local councillor that the University of Lincoln is ‘severely lacking’ in combating alcohol and violent crime are receiving criticism …” (more)
[Shane Croucher, The Linc, 27 February]
“A meeting of science ministers from across Europe met in San Sebastian in Spain earlier this month and agreed unanimously to release the ‘Donostia Declaration’ – a 300-word statement endorsing the role that science must play in assisting Europe to recover from its worst economic crisis in recent decades …” (more)
[Jan Petter Myklebust, University World News, 28 February]
“The decision to introduce tuition fees for foreign students has met strong objections by Swedish student unions and a massive e-mail response to Local – Sweden’s News in English. But for two of the universities enrolling most foreign students, the government’s decision will mean an immediate income loss in the millions …” (more)
[Jan Petter Myklebust, University World News, 28 February]
“Turkey’s government is about to pass legislation that could cripple the country’s biological research. When politicians respond to popular distrust of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), they sometimes fail to grasp how intricately molecular technologies infiltrate different areas of science. A case in point is now playing out in Turkey, where an attempt to regulate GMOs in agriculture has morphed into a draft law that could wipe out the country’s biomedical research …” (more)
[Nature, 24 February]
“DCU overcame UCC to win the Sigerson Cup Final by 1-11 to 0-09. The final was played today in Leixlip.” (tweet)
[Dublin GAA, Twitter, 27 February]
“DCU and UCC advanced to today’s Ulster Bank Sigerson Cup final at Leixlip GAA Club, following semi-final wins over NUI Maynooth and Athlone IT respectively yesterday …” (more)
[Sports News Ireland, 27 February]
“… The THE-QS rankings were famous for their yearly fluctuations. This of course helped to make them much more popular than the reliable but boring Shanghai rankings (unless you were prepared to spend a few hours cutting and pasting the indicator scores of universities in the 300s and 400s into an Excel file and then they could be interesting) …” (more)
[University Ranking Watch, 27 February]
“Best of luck to all participants in the Rock Climbing Intervarsities at NUIG this weekend!” (tweet)
[Snoozles Hostel, Twitter, 27 February]
“On Thursday, I attended and spoke at the 2010 Atlantic Corridor conference in the Tullamore Court Hotel. Funded by the Department of Foreign Affairs, the organisation has built links between Ireland, and in particular the east coasts of Canada and the USA. The main theme of the conference this year was the education of Science and Mathematics …” (more)
[A President’s Blog, 27 February]
“Over recent years I have suggested from time to time that it might be right to look more closely at where ministerial responsibility for higher education might ideally lie. What has tended to prompt this suggestion is that the Department of Education and Science always and predictably focuses on primary and secondary education, and in particular prioritises these sectors when scarce resources have to be distributed …” (more)
[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 27 February]
“Islamic students make a ‘very positive contribution’ to Irish society and its economy, according to President McAleese. She said: ‘They are helping to advance the frontiers of science, medicine and research – it is their encouraging experience of Ireland that helps our higher education institutions compete for students and recognition in this globalised world’ …” (more)
[Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times, 27 February]
Ninth Level Ireland 