The Irish Education Piggy Bank Crisis

Europe - Wide Crisis

According to the European University Association, Ireland is one of 11 European countries — along with other hard-hit economies like Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal and Spain whose higher-education funding has decreased more than 10 percent in recent years. Because funding depends on individual national and state budgets, the education funding crisis has affected each country quite differently across Europe.

Warrick Page/ Getty Images - Originally Published in the New York Times 25 Nov. 201

According to OECD reports, tuition fee cap increases for local and E.U. candidates have caused British universities to be placed amongst the most expensive in Europe and the third most expensive in the world. Pictured above are the students in London who took to the streets last week to protest as a hard hit budget cut group.

The Irish Response - “Doing more with less.”

On the backdrop of the funding crisis the Irish third level system has not escaped overhaul recommendations from independent players in Europe. Higher Education Authority representative Malcolm Byrne told the New York Times- “There will be fewer institutions... and a lot of the smaller institutions will be merged... institutions will also be encouraged to specialize.” In the weeks leading up to the December budget Education Minister, Ruairi Quinn is set to reveal Ireland's college funding plan. Suggestions to amalgamate our universities and re-structure our I.T's have sparked debates regarding the efficiency of our current system.

December will highlight the allocation of funds whilst early 2013 will mark the release of a report aimed at outlining how higher education institutions, including Ireland’s seven universities might collaborate or merge. The eagerly awaited report entitled “New Education Landscape” is set to detail some already implemented mergers and structural changes such as the amalgamation of teacher training college St. Patricks University with Dublin City University (DCU). 

According to Byrne the buzz term is "doing more with less.”  It is thought that all decisions will be structured by taking in to account a number of structural change suggestions from the Economnic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) under the Higher Education Authority (HEA). According to the Irish Examiner Quinn is set to make decisions on issues such as proposed state student loan initiatives and  increases in college fee rates. 

Piggy Bank Deal Breakers  

There will be no extra funding for education providers without evidence of reform efforts according to a recent article in the Irish Independent. Before funding is allocated to individual higher education providers, Quinn is calling for proof that value for money is being delivered to attendees. The vision is that representatives from universities pitch strategies to increase student experience and save money internally. An analysis of course duplication will also take place. Speaking in the Dail this week, Quinn stated "It is not that I want to take money out of the system, I want that money to be better used."

Click here to read  New York Times article; Europe's Budget Crisis Hits Universities. 

Click here to read the Irish Examiner article; Quinn to Reveal Third Level Blueprint. 

Click here to read the Irish Independent article; No Extra Cash For Colleges Without Reform.