Smart economy

“Smart economy starts with primary education – not at third level. #rtept” (tweet)

[Tom Dowling, Twitter, 11 January]

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Third level cuts will hamper smart economy

“The future of Ireland’s smart-economy is looking decidedly bleak after the beleaguered Irish Government confirmed earlier this week that it intends raising the college registration fee to €2,000 and adding grant cuts to the list of austerity measures facing the Irish third level sector in the new year …” (more)

[Daniel O’Carroll, Cork Student News, 26 November]

Ireland Looks to Academe to Re-Ignite Its Economy

“… Aided by 12 years of government investments, researchers like Mr. Barry and Ms. Hill are part of a movement to make Ireland a serious contributor to the world of international science and to shore up the foundation of the country’s ‘smart economy’ …” (more)

[Gold­ie Blumenstyk, Chronicle of Higher Education, 21 November]

A smart economy doesn’t export its talent

“The current unemployment crisis among people who have recently graduated means that emigration once again haunts the dreams of people across Ireland. As a nation we run the risk of being the victim of a brain drain …” (more)

[Deirdre Clune TD, 21 October]

Cancer advance – Research pays off

“Could there be a better example of the smart economy in action than the invention of a device that will help in the fight against cancer? Researchers at Cork’s Tyndall National Institute are working on a device that may be able to identify some cancers through an artificial sense of smell …” (more)

[Irish Examiner, 8 October]

Is the smart economy the blueprint for Ireland’s future?

“Batt O’Keeffe takes on Ronnie O’Toole on the merits of the Government’s smart economy policy. Batt O’Keeffe: Some recent public comment on the ‘smart economy’ has failed to define what it means or acknowledge how it can generate sustainable economic growth …” (more)

[Irish Times, 30 September]

The smart economy and technology’s democratic vector

“There is a need for a shower of realism over many who talk of Ireland’s educated workforce and the need to bend education to serve the knowledge/smart/information economy/society. I fear that the level of education is pretty poor in precisely the areas that emerging society demands. I fear too that those who talk most of the knowledge/smart/information economy/society have reflected least on what it means …” (more)

[Colum McCaffery’s Weblog, 27 September]

‘It’s time to give the country the skills and tools to be digital’

“To succeed in the 21st century Ireland must invest in skills and infrastructure, says Cisco’s Kim Majerus. There’s a mentality pervading in powerful circles that things like the Leaving Cert, the CAO points system and by-rote learning that were good enough 20 years ago will be good enough for the next two decades and don’t need updating …” (more)

[John Kennedy, Silicon Republic, 26 August]

Ireland banking on the faith-based smart economy strategy

“… However, the Government’s faith-based smart economy strategy will not provide an engine of growth and its approach is reminiscent of the fatal sense of infallibility it had about construction as a builder of prosperity …” (more)

[Michael Hennigan, Finfacts, 24 August]

Four conditions for a ‘smart economy’

“… Currently Ireland’s education system is in some crisis, and its various components are not delivering what is needed. On the other hand there are many dedicated and intelligent staff, and there is an understanding of the importance of education; and we have a history (now somewhat lost) of excellence …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 16 July]

Overhauling education the smart thing to do

“Only radical changes to an education system not fit for the 21st century can help produce the smart economy we so desire. Education has always been of great interest and relevance to me because of my involvement in establishing a high-tech and high-value advanced manufacturing campus in Ireland …” (more)

[Jim O’Hara, Irish Times, 8 July]

Sliding towards the Not-So-Smart Economy?

“Earlier this year I pointed out that, notwithstanding Ireland’s commitment to spend 3% of GDP on research and development, our actual performance does not measure up to that target. In fact, according to my calculations Ireland’s R&D expenditure now lies at around 1.4% of GDP, and it is falling …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 7 July]

Feeding the ‘smart economy’

“Nearly two years ago the Irish government published a paper (Building Ireland’s Smart Economy) in which it identified what it called the ‘smart economy’ as the best support for economic regeneration and an escape from the deepening recession …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 30 June]

Taking the truly smart approach

“The government’s vision for Ireland’s knowledge society is commendable, but its strategy for science, technology and innovation defines the ‘smart economy’ too narrowly. In addition to the specified priority areas, the arts, humanities and social sciences – as well as the sciences in general – also create new knowledge and underlie economic growth and the creation of sustainable high-quality jobs …” (more)

[Colm Kearney, Sunday Business Post, 27 June]

Smart move is to leave this sinking ship

“I wish I could say I was surprised by the recent revelations by the education editor, John Walshe, that the Irish Universities Association has indicated that our smart economy was on the brink of collapse. The threats to our university sector and the bedrock of economic growth in this country (education) are now reaching danger levels …” (more)

[Eoin Hayes, Independent, 10 June]

Saving the idea of the ‘smart economy’

“When two years ago it became clear that Ireland faced potentially dramatic economic problems as the property market collapsed, the government rightly initiated an analysis of how the country could be regenerated quickly by redirecting the economy from property transactions and domestic consumption to knowledge-based exports …” (more)

[Ferdinand von Prondzynski, University Blog, 3 June]

Working Smarter for the Economy

“On the 12th of March, the Irish government releases its report on how we will create the smart economy in Ireland. I have a few ideas that I’m trying right across the table at work with the latest crop of smart graduates. I am working with a small project team to improve innovation in their project work. My process starts by looking at what is to be shipped. At the end of a successful project, third year creative multimedia projects should identify potential opportunities related to what they design and build …” (more)

[Bernie Goldbach, Inside View, 22 February]

Be smart: Jobs first, smart economy second

“The smart economy is a nice idea, perhaps even a good idea. But like most nice ideas, when exposed to reality, the smart economy just breaks down. The smart economy as a concept takes no notice of the detail: who is looking for what type of job right now, and how long will it take those people to train for new ones? When confronted by the facts, we have to augment our industrial development strategy if we want to protect the real, on-the-ground, economy …” (more)

[Stephen Kinsella, 29 January]

‘Smart economy’ plan gambles with taxpayers’ money

“… ‘Innovation by invitation’ is now seemingly the order of the day. The evidence has been growing that this is nothing but a huge gamble with taxpayers’ money. The recently announced Trinity-UCD research merger has been the last throw of the dice. Its exaggerated claims about the number of jobs that will result seem to have been accepted ‘on the nod’ as it took a Cabinet sub-committee only a week to agree to it. To advocate as the Government does that science-based innovation is the key to Ireland’s future is not only wrong-headed but is patronising. The Government seems to have little faith in the ingenuity of the Irish population to find their way out of this crisis …” (more)

[Eoin O’Leary, Irish Times, 25 May]