TUI to recommend rejection of reform proposals

“The Teachers’ Union of Ireland has decided to recommend the rejection of the public service pay and reform proposals to its members. The decision was taken at a meeting this evening …” (more)

[RTE News, 31 March]

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Life is either a daring adventure or nothing …

“I was lucky enough to attend the launch of the wiki Das Auslandsjahr in Deutschland yesterday evening, on a dark, cold March evening at NUI Galway. Despite the bleak weather beating against the windows, inside the classroom of AM205 a heart warming tale unfolded of collaboration and triumph for an engaged class of third level students …” (more)

[Learning Technologies, 31 March]

Help to the Finish Line: Ways to Reduce the Number of Ph.D. Dropouts

“Doctoral students in the United States are finishing their degrees faster than at any point since at least 1983. But that’s not actually saying much. Their average time-to-degree is still a formidable 7.7 years — and that, of course, is for the students who manage to finish at all. By some estimates, more than 30 percent of the students who enter American doctoral programs walk away empty-handed …” (more)

[David Glenn, Chronicle of Higher Education, 31 March]

Govt’s education cuts a backward step in science education – Clune

“Fine Gael Innovation Spokesperson Deirdre Clune TD said the results of an ASTI survey proves the quality of science education in Ireland is deteriorating as a consequence of the Government’s Education cutbacks …” (more)

[Deirdre Clune, Fine Gael, 31 March]

The runaway costs of college

“Last week Barack Obama and the Democrats were so consumed with health-care reform that they hardly took a minute to brag about another significant reform, to student loans and grants. This week they’re getting around to it. Tucked away in the health-care legislation are provisions that will expand funding for Pell Grants, cut fees that the government has been paying to private lenders to issue government-backed loans and tweak the terms of student loan repayments …” (more)

[Economist, 31 March]

Enterprise Ireland to ‘Propel’ start-ups in ICT, life sciences

“State support agency Enterprise Ireland has revealed a new ‘Propel’ programme aimed at supporting up to 12 new export-focused start-ups in ICT and life sciences that are capable of achieving revenues in excess of €1m …” (more)

[John Kennedy, Silicon Republic, 31 March]

Sectoral Agreements

“Public Service Pay deal – April Fool’s day is coming early: http://www.maths.nuim.ie/staff/jmurray/Part2SectoralAgreements.pdf” (tweet)

[John Murray, Twitter, 31 March]

Local move towards alternative stem cell research

“An internationally renowned professor has joined the Regenerative Medicine Institute (REMEDI) in Galway to further their work on cells donated by human patients and volunteers. Dr Alan Colman, Principal Investigator in the A*STAR Institute of Medical Biology and Executive Director of the Singapore Stem Cell Consortium, will take on the role of Adjunct Professor of Fundamental Stem Cell Biology with REMEDI at NUI Galway …” (more)

[Galway Advertiser, 31 March]

Waterford Institute of Technology launches new Masters degree

“A masterclass in inventive problem solving was held in Waterford Institute of Technology last Friday by Dr Eddie Commins and Greg Coyle of Enterprise Ireland to mark the launch of a new Masters degree programme at the Institute …” (more)

[TechCentral.ie, 29 March]

Members of IMI vote for merger with UCC

“Members of the Irish Management Institute (IMI) have voted unanimously in favour of a merger with University College Cork. Both organisations believe a merger could enhance the services they offer as well as expanding the institute’s international reach …” (more)

[Colm Keena, Irish Times, 31 March]

Doing the business

“One question that universities and other higher education institutions may have to address in the period ahead is how they can generate the revenues that will make up for the shortfall in public funding. Clearly it is possible to reduce expenditure on education – in fact, the ultimate ‘efficiency gain’ would be to admit the student and, instantly, hand them a degree parchment and say goodbye. The cost of that would be minimal, but obviously it would not satisfy anyone’s quality expectations …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 31 March]

AIT signs agreement with Beijing Union University

“Athlone Institute of Technology has signed an agreement with a leading Chinese university that will enable students from AIT to go to Beijing for short study periods. The memorandum of understanding was signed with Beijing Union University (BUU) in a ceremony in Athlone …” (more)

[Education Ireland, 31 March]

Back to Education Allowance Storm Brewing (or not?)

“Anyone caring to take a walk around the campuses of Ireland’s third level institutions would be struck by the number of what is quaintly called ‘mature students’. ‘Matures’, as they’re often referred to, are those students who are over the age of 23. In the past number of years they have been signing up for higher education programmes in droves …” (more)

[Ciarán Ó Catháin, A President’s Notebook, 30 March]

CAO points may rise for third-level courses

“CAO points for many popular third-level courses are set to increase this year after figures confirmed a record level of demand from students. A Higher Education Authority (HEA) report shows the number of applicants reached a record high of 71,843 in 2010, an increase of 6.2 per cent from 2009 …” (more)

[Sean Flynn, Irish Times, 31 March]

IT courses bounce back in popularity

“Computer companies will breathe a sigh of relief over the bounce back in the popularity of information technology (IT) courses among Irish students …” (more)

[John Walshe, Independent, 31 March]

30% hike in non-school leavers seeking college place

“The unemployment crisis has prompted a 30% rise in college applications from mature students and other non-Leaving Certificate students. The number of overall entrants through the Central Applications Office (CAO) seeking third level places by the February 1 deadline was up 6% on the same time last year …” (more)

[Niall Murray, Irish Examiner, 31 March]

UEA mishandled ‘Climategate’ Freedom of Information requests, say MPs

“The University of East Anglia bears ‘much of the responsibility’ for the mishandling of Freedom of Information requests in relation to the so-called ‘Climategate’ email scandal, a cross-party panel of MPs has ruled …” (more)

[Zoë Corbyn, Times Higher Education, 31 March]

Innovation Vouchers – A Valuable Opportunity for Small Companies

“Enterprise Ireland launch their latest call for innovation vouchers tomorrow, 1 April. Each voucher is worth €5,000 and allows small companies to contract a third level institution to undertake research to solve a business problem or identify new opportunities …” (more)

[Ciarán Ó Catháin, A President’s Notebook, 30 March]

Obama Reaffirms Support for Community Colleges at Signing of Student-Loan Bill

“President Obama signed legislation on Tuesday that ends the bank-based lending system for student loans and pours tens of billions of federal dollars into higher education. At the signing ceremony, which was held here at Northern Virginia Community College, the president also announced that Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and an English instructor at the college, will lead a community-college summit at the White House this fall …” (more)

[Andrea Fuller, Chronicle of Higher Education, 30 March]

A Masters in disorganisation

“Considerable dismay and anger has swept across the Smurfit Business School in recent weeks. The faculty has decided there is no longer need for a careers centre offering advisory services to students. As a result, the contract with Smurfit’s sole careers advisor has not been renewed …” (more)

[Conor Feeney, University Observer, 30 March]