Third level fees likely to go up in budget

“Reports suggest that third level fees in form of increase in registration fees by several hundred, maybe up to as much as €3000, may come in budget …” (discussion thread)

[Politics.ie, 31 October]

Advertisement

Registration fee hike for third level expected

“There is growing speculation that next month’s Budget will contain an increase in registration fees by around €1,000 or even doubled by €1,500 to €3,000 for next year …” (more)

[RTÉ News, 31 October]

Law Society defends student numbers despite lack of jobs

“The Law Society of Ireland (LSI) has defended its practice of educating hundreds of student solicitors despite a massive decline in the number of jobs available in the profession …” (more)

[Mark Hilliard, Tribune, 31 October]

Top hotel may be used to house students

“The owners of the Corrib Great Southern Hotel in Galway have applied to have the site used as student accommodation three years after its closure. The hotel, on the old Dublin Road, will now be used for higher-educational purposes and research ventures …” (more)

[Jennifer Bray, Tribune, 31 October]

U-Multirank pilot study underway

“While universities were digesting the results of the three major world rankings, the European U-Multirank consortium launched a study into a new multi-dimensional global ranking aimed at comparing similar institutions and programmes in terms of their missions and profiles …” (more)

[Jan Petter Myklebust, University World News, 31 October]

University ranking by job success causes stir

“A ranking of French universities according to their graduates’ job prospects has been published by the Ministry for Higher Education and Research and welcomed by Minister Valérie Pécresse. But the exercise has been criticised by a specialist in graduate employment rates, the body representing university presidents, and by a national students’ federation …” (more)

[Jane Marshall, University World News, 31 October]

Universities agree to sharpen profiles

“Universities across Europe are attempting to sharpen their distinctive profiles in response to an era of multiple reforms and deep cuts in government spending …” (more)

[Brendan O’Malley, University World News, 31 October]

Academia rejects government reforms

“… Casus belli for the academic community are plans to replace elected university rectors with technocrat managers from outside the academic community; the appointment of foreign academics as rectors of Greek universities; and the replacement of the state financial commitment with private funds …” (more)

[Makki Marseilles, University World News, 31 October]

Record rush to beat fees rise

“An unprecedented 74,234 candidates had completed applications for courses beginning in the autumn of 2011, more than ever before at such an early stage. Up to 220,000 candidates could be left without places next summer if the 4.2% year-on-year rise in applications continues …” (more)

[University World News, 31 October]

Bologna doesn’t have to kill diversity

“Today, many people think the notion of diversity in higher education is under threat in Europe – that under the pressure of a pan-continental higher education area, the expansion of the English language as a means of instruction …” (more)

[Alex Usher, University World News, 31 October]

Urgent need to deregulate higher education

“India’s National Knowledge Commission chairman Sam Pitroda last week stressed the need to deregulate education, calling it the need of the hour …” (more)

[University World News, 31 October]

State’s plan for massive public sector purge

“… A sizeable majority of Irish people want the Croke Park agreement torn up immediately, according to the latest Sunday Independent/Quantum Research nationwide poll. 60% of those polled felt there needed to be a radical overhaul of public service numbers, wages, working conditions and pensions – in fact everything should be revisited …” (more)

[Daniel McConnell, Independent, 31 October]

Paying for tutorials

“As English universities face up to what looks like a very challenging funding environment, Oxford University has disclosed that it has raised £1 billion from alumni and supporters and that it will use some of this money to fund its traditional one-on-one tutorial system …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 31 October]

Number Five, Grenville Place, Cork

“The following is a series of photographs showing the condition of George Boole’s former home in Cork City. Most were taken today, 30th October 2010. For more information on this story see my earlier post.” (slide show)

[Eoin Lettice, Communicate Science, 30 October]

Bedding down in The Library

“Earlier this week I took part in a debate at the British Library – ‘Is the Physical Library a Redundant Resource for 21st century academics’ organised by THE. To put it another way, should we all stay at home/in our studies and call up all the resources we need on our lap tops …” (more)

[A don’s life, 30 October]

Did HE fall, or was it pushed?

“One of the other scary bits of news to emerge last week concerns proposed changes to the arrangements for tuition fees in English universities. According to the Times Higher, the Minister responsible for universities, David Willetts, has admitted that the cuts to university budgets announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review, will occur before any new money flows into universities from whatever new fee arrangements emerge …” (more)

[In the Dark, 30 October]

Why graduates lean to the Left

“Some have attributed the increasing levels of support for the Greens to centrist policies adopted by the Labor Party on climate change, refugees and gay marriage that offend its progressive base …” (more)

[James Paterson, The Australian, 30 October]

Higher Expectations

“More than nine Americans in 10 say that universities are among the nation’s ‘most valuable resources’, but they hold different and sometimes conflicting ideas about what universities are valuable for. Universities are expected to generate ideas and generate jobs, to prepare the next generation of leaders and open their doors to the great mass of high school graduates, to speak truth to power and serve as resources for those in power. Needless to say, higher education hasn’t figured out how to do all these things at once …” (more)

[David L Kirp, American Prospect, 11 October]

Charging third-level fees

“A chara, – Given that everything is supposedly on the table for possible cutting or taxing in the next budget, perhaps it is time for student representative groups to finally back down on their nonsensical and counterproductive opposition to the reintroduction of third-level fees in any guise? …” (more)

[Muireann Lynch, Irish Times, 30 October]

Universities get power to raise fees to £9,000

“Leading universities will be able to charge students up to £9,000 a year providing they are offering a ‘public benefit’ by recruiting teenagers from disadvantaged backgrounds, the Government will announce next month …” (more)

[Robert Winnett, Daily Telegraph, 30 October]