Standing of universities ‘under threat’

“The international standing of Irish universities will suffer a ‘serious decline’ if the issue of student fees is not tackled immediately, former Irish EU commissioner Peter Sutherland has warned …” (more)

[Eoin Burke-Kennedy, Irish Times, 23 July]

UCD president warns of ‘Inconvienient truth’ of R&D funding

“Speaking at the MacGill Summer School in Glenties, Co Donegal, the president of UCD, Dr Hugh Brady, argued that while Irish universities are currently among the best in the world, this competitive advantage could be lost if adequate support and funding was not provided for R&D at third-level institutions …” (more)

[Deirdre Nolan, Silicon Republic, 23 July]

EU R&D funding not just for ‘white-coated engineers’

“Irish companies should not be misled by the perception that R&D funding on offer from the EU is confined to white-coated engineers, and they should also take advantage of the Government’s ambition to make Ireland one of the world’s leading locations for R&D activity, R&D finance experts Leyton have said …” (more)

[Jennifer Yau, Silicon Republic, 23 July]

MacGill papers

“This page will host papers given at the MacGill Summer School 2010 on political reform and other papers of interest: Hugh Brady, address delivered at MacGill; …” (more)

[Political Reform .ie, 23 July]

Graduate tax: a free degree for EU students (except if you’re British)

“There are many flaws to the graduate tax. But this one – mentioned by Martin Wolf today – is something special. Will Ed Miliband or Vince Cable really be able to justify a system that gives a free ride to French, Polish and Romanian students? …” (more)

[Alex Barker, Westminster Blog, 23 July]

Enda Kenny accused of WIT clawback

“The Mayor of Waterford, Councillor Mary Roche, has accused the Fine Gael leader, Enda Kenny, of reneging on his promise to upgrade WIT to university status if his party was voted into government at the next general election …” (more)

[Munster Express, 23 July]

Higher education is at the tipping point

“There’s been enough discussion about funding and resources, access and student debt in higher education. Isn’t it time to talk seriously about competition? Surrey University’s Andy Adcroft and Robert Willis from Anglia Ruskin University think so …” (more)

[Public Service, 23 July]

Grade inflation is making students lazy

“College students study a lot less now than in the 1960s, yet they get better grades. For students, these trends must seem like marvelous developments. But they raise questions about both declining rigor and potential grade inflation in higher education …” (more)

[Daniel de Vise, Washington Post, 22 July]

€20m WIT nurse education building

“Mary Harney TD, Minister for Health & Children, noted the high standard of professional education received by nursing students in Ireland and remarked on the excellent 3,910-m² nurse education building funded by her Department at Waterford Institute of Technology …” (more)

[Kieran Walsh, Munster Express, 23 July]

UCD head wants fees restored ‘for those who can afford them’

“The head of Ireland’s biggest university yesterday called for the restoration of college fees for those who can afford to pay them. University College Dublin (UCD) president Dr Hugh Brady said he was a father of three teenagers for whom he would afford to pay €6,000 each to a private secondary school …” (more)

[Anita Guidera, Independent, 23 July]

Measuring the glass

“When it comes to Irish higher education, is the glass half full or is it half empty? Are we in crisis, or do we have another important opportunity to demonstrate that we can do so much more with so little? The problem really is that, as a sector and indeed as a country, we don’t know how to answer this …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 23 July]

MacGill Summer School

“I was a panellist in a session on Education – Reform and Innovation Required? this afternoon at the MacGill summer school. Joining me on the panel were Finbarr Bradley, UCD, NIUM and DCU; Hugh Brady, UCD President; Mary Coughlan TD and Tanaiste; …” (more)

[Chrisjhorn’s Blog, 22 July]

Irish Universities a Model of Reform for Public Service

“In his President’s address to the MacGill Summer School delivered on 22 July 2010, Dr Hugh Brady stated that Irish universities are a model for reform of public services. But a new funding settlement is essential if they are to continue their role in delivering smart jobs in the smart economy …” (more)

[Frank Parker, Suite 101, 22 July]

Australia Seeks to Jettison Its Colleges’ Relaxed Image

“Australia is trying to improve its academic image to attract a new crop of students to its shores. For years the island nation has marketed itself as a sun-kissed destination for foreign students, promoting its relaxed lifestyle as much as opportunities to study. But now it is revamping that approach and seeking to emphasize a more intellectual image …” (more)

[Janaki Kremmer, Chronicle of Higher Education, 22 July]

The policy and strategy on paper clips, or maybe toilet paper

“In this era of exponential cuts in higher education, expect to see more of this sort of thing: Texas A&M University has decided, as part of its quest to save money in the face of budget cuts, to stop supplying free toilet paper to student residences. This will save it some $80,000 – but the actual sum it has to find is a staggering $80 million …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 22 July]

Tenure: An Idea Whose Time Has Gone

“The arguments for academic tenure have always struck me as pretty weak, and more to the point, transparently self-serving. The best you can say of the system is that it preserves a sort of continuity in schools that is desireable for the purposes of cultivating alumni donations. But the cost of such a system is simply staggering …” (more)

[Megan McArdle, The Atlantic, 21 July]

Academic Freedom and the European Court of Human Rights

“In Sapan v. Turkey (8 June 2010) the European Court of Human Rights emphasised the importance of academic freedom of expression …” (more)

[Stijn Smet, Strasbourg Observers, 22 July]

Technology and Academic Freedom

“Assume the opposite of the situation I actually have at USC. Assume I am deeply disappointed in my university president. I send emails to my trusted colleagues and suggest that we put forward a vote of no confidence in the president … I find out in June that the president has moved to get rid of me …” (more)

[Bill Tierney, 21st Century Scholar, 22 July]

Lower earners funding college education

“Tax paid by less well-off parents is subsidising university education for the better off, UCD president Hugh Brady has said. Speaking at the MacGill Summer School yesterday, Dr Brady also said Irish universities, up until this year, had increased student numbers and maintained quality by reducing costs …” (more)

[Deaglán de Bréadún, Irish Times, 23 July]

Universities have placed vocation over thought

“The assumption that higher education brings higher earnings has turned universities into business-led ‘degree factories’ …” (more)

[Ilana Bet-El, Guardian, 22 July]