IPPN

Published: 11 January 2011

Tánaiste launches the National Strategy for Higher Education
- Implementation of strategy to significantly change Ireland's third level landscape with establishment of Technological Universities and provision of equal support for full and part time students -

The Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, Ms. Mary Coughlan, T.D., today launched a strategy that will see the transformation of Ireland's higher education sector over the next two decades. The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, which has been endorsed by the Government as the future blueprint for the sector, was developed by a High Level Group under the Chairmanship of Dr Colin Hunt. The Strategy sets out changes for the sector that are aimed at providing for:

• a more flexible system, with a greater choice of provision and modes of learning for an increasingly diverse cohort of students;
• improvements in the quality of the student experience, the quality of teaching and learning and the relevance of learning outcomes; and
• ensuring that higher education connects more effectively with wider social, economic and enterprise needs through its staff, the quality of its graduates, the relevance of its programmes, the quality of its research and its ability to translate that into high value jobs and real benefits for society.

The Strategy recommends a number of significant structural changes that are aimed at supporting these objectives, including:

• having a smaller number of higher education institutions of greater strength, critical mass and governed according to international best practice;
• providing for the establishment of Technological Universities;
• restructuring and strengthening the Higher Education Authority;
• providing for a sustainable system of funding to allow for further growth and development;
• changing the funding model used to allocate resources to and within institutions to ensure all students, whether full-time or part-time, on-campus or         off-campus, be supported equally;
• ensuring that public funding is more aligned to national priorities and needs;
• ensuring a more performance oriented system, with much more transparent flows of data;
• requiring greater interaction between our higher education and enterprise sectors; and
• ensuring much greater assessment of the wider outcomes and impacts of the higher education sector, together with strengthened accountability for  institutions according to agreed performance contracts.

Speaking at the launch the Tánaiste said: "This strategy contains detailed recommendations for the development of a modern, flexible and responsive higher education system that is ready to meet the new challenges of the next twenty years in supporting Ireland's economic renewal and growth. It envisages a system that is more accessible to a much greater range of people, is more engaged with the enterprise sector and wider community and has high quality and innovative provision of teaching and research as its hallmark.

 

Full Story: www.education.ie

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Published: 10 January 2011

MORE THAN 800,000 students return to school today amid warnings to protect themselves against swine flu, and ahead of talks on how schools will make up for days lost because of the cold snap.

Health authorities have told schools that they play a critical role in preventing the spread of such contagious diseases.

In recent weeks, there has been a major rise in people being treated for flu-like illnesses, of which swine flu is the predominant virus this winter.

And there are fears that infection rates could increase once large numbers of children return to school after the extended Christmas break.

Schools have been told of the importance of practising good hand hygiene, by washing often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.

Hand-drying facilities at schools should not be shared, with the exception of electric hand dryers and roller towels of the type that allow for a clean section to be pulled out for each use, according to HSE guidelines. Schools may ask staff and students to bring in their own hand towels.

If children don't have access to hand-washing facilities, parents have been told to give them an alcohol hand gel to use.

Teachers are also being asked to ensure that pupils do not share pens, crayons or wind instruments.

 

Full Story: www.independent.ie

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Published: 10 January 2011

DEMAND FOR college places this year has increased dramatically, raising the prospect of increased college admission points for students this year.

By last Friday, the Central Applications Office (CAO) had already received 16,000 applications – a 14 per cent increase on the same week last year. Last night, career experts said we are seeing a return to a 1980s-style “points race”; even a 5 per cent increase in demand at the end of the CAO process will, they say, put upward pressure on points. The initial closing date for applications – February 1st is still three weeks away.

The CAO has seen the surge in demand – as mature learners, the unemployed and increasingly students from England join the scramble for college places.

As yet, the CAO has no indication as to the disciplines proving popular with students this year.

Last year two-thirds of the 70 most popular honours degree courses showed an increase in points. Points moved up for virtually all higher-level courses in science, computing, agriculture, medicine and nursing. Points are rising because third-level colleges are struggling to cope with the huge demand for places. Last year, college applications for higher-level courses reached record levels, up from 64,774 to 67,640.

There had been speculation the new €2,000 student contribution fee (up from €1,500 last year) would dampen student demand. But colleges say there is no evidence of this, as yet.

Record demand for college places is being driven by several other factors including;

 

Full Story: www.irishtimes.com

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Published: 10 January 2011

Tanaiste Mary Coughlan last night vowed to keep going in politics for another 20 years as she was selected to contest the upcoming general election in Donegal South West.

And at the Fianna Fail Kerry South convention, a jubilant former Ceann Comhairle John O'Donoghue pledged he was ready for battle.

Tanaiste and Education Minister Ms Coughlan dismissed as a "non-debate" any question over the leadership of Fianna Fail as she was selected uncontested to run.

At a low-key selection convention in Glenties, Co Donegal, Ms Coughlan insisted that Brian Cowen had her full backing as leader of the party, as president of the organisation and as Taoiseach.

"He will be continuing in that role with the full support of me. Let us move on from this debate. It is a non-debate," she told more than 350 delegates in the Highlands Hotel.

Ms Coughlan, who was selected with Senator Brian O Domhnaill to contest what she admitted would be a difficult election, also insisted she was "in it for the long haul".

"I am still only 45. I have at least another 20 years in me and I am as committed to going forward as anyone else and honoured to do so," she said.

Mr O'Donoghue was selected at yesterday's Kerry South convention in the INEC in Killarney beating county councillor Michael Cahill by 160 votes to 138.

 

Full Story: www.independent.ie

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