Brian M. Lucey

Tag: universities

  • Irish Universities Rankings – a reality check

    Irish Universities Rankings – a reality check

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    brianmlucey
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    So the THES rankings are out and as has become the norm the fall in rankings of Irish universities has caused an outpouring of angst, breast beating, and general melancholia. It is described as a “Crisis” , a “disaster” and such other apocalyptic monikers. 

  • More on Funding Universities

    More on Funding Universities

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    brianmlucey
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    A few weeks ago I blogged on the % of state funding given to UCD and TCD. I have now updated it, below the fold. TL: DR – the state is no longer the largest funder,  and isn’t providing even half the funds.  I think the pictures speak for themselves

  • Pipers, Tunes and Payment in the Higher Education Sector

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    brianmlucey
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    Recent discussion on university funding has been on the basis of the Public Accounts Committee report.  This, along with the RTE Prime-time  Investigates program, has led to a perception of a state funded sector out of financial control.  Both of these are wrong.

  • Funding Universities

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    brianmlucey
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    It is surprisingly difficult to get a consistent picture of university income in Ireland over the last decade. Accounting conventions have changed, as have the requirements from the Higher Education Authority in terms of detail. Finally,  despite it being half way through 2017 it seems some, many, universities have not managed to get their 2016 or…

  • Graduate taxes, not student loans, for Ireland

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    brianmlucey
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    Governments usually, and often quite correctly, come in for severe stick for lack of joined up thinking. In that regard it is quite pleasant to see the initiative from the Department of Social Protection on moneylenders. Linking repayment to credit union loans to welfare payments allows low risk in lending and thus low interest rates.…

  • The Economic Logic of Student Loans (or, not..)

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    brianmlucey
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    The publication  of the long delayed and much leaked cassells report on third level financing is both welcome and depressing. It is welcome in that finally there is a clear and unambigious analysis of the financial mess in which the sector finds itself. It outlines clearly the contribution to economy and society that can be…

  • Jobbridge Use in Higher Education

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    brianmlucey
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    Via Jack Horgan-Jones, and the Sunday Business Post, a list of all companies who have used the controversial Jobbridge programme was listed today. Jobbridge is a program of labour market activation whereby persons on unemployment get paid €50 extra to be placed in a otherwise fulltime position. It is supposed to be a training and…

  • Renua(ing) Education

    Renua(ing) Education

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    brianmlucey
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    I don’t know why I am surprised at Renua. I guess its that when a new political party emerges there is an opportunity for it to really take a radical, evidence based look at areas and suggest alternatives to how we do things. Renua, in its election manifesto education proposals, has merely produced an ideological…

  • 20 Questions – Expert Group On University Funding Version

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    brianmlucey
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    20 Questions that remain unanswered (or unanswerable) from the Cassells (leaked) report

  • Time for the state to shift its AHSS on higher education policy?

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    brianmlucey
    in

    Ranking season is upon us with the QS rankings of subject areas (not, as is commonly though, Departments) now revealed. Again we find that despite the hype Irish universities are stronger in Arts and Humanities than in the STEM areas. This is in stark contrast to the financial flows to these areas and in even starker contrast…