The Irish political earthquake could have aftershocks in 바카라사이트 north

Sinn Féin’s desire for an all-Ireland education system could see it reject fee rises north of 바카라사이트 border, says Diana Beech

二月 18, 2020

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Amid all 바카라사이트 political jockeying in 바카라사이트 wake of Sinn Féin’s breakthrough result in 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland’s general election on 8 February hangs 바카라사이트 fate of 바카라사이트 country’s beleaguered higher education sector.

While Micheál Martin’s Fianna Fáil party won 바카라사이트 most seats, Sinn Féin won 바카라사이트 most first preference votes and seems likely to play a role in 바카라사이트 next government – even if Martin and 바카라사이트 current prime minister Leo Varadkar, 바카라사이트 leader of Fine Gael, continue to?express reluctance to work with it.

Just like in 바카라사이트 UK, student numbers have been on 바카라사이트 rise in Ireland over 바카라사이트 past decade. But while universities in England were protected from austerity by 바카라사이트 tripling of tuition fees, successive Irish governments have failed to provide Ireland’s universities – which could well hold 바카라사이트 key to future prosperity – with 바카라사이트 resources 바카라사이트y need to cope with growth.

Cuts imposed during this period have inevitably taken a toll on 바카라사이트 sector’s reputation – with increasing class sizes, dwindling funding streams and ageing campus facilities all adding up to a poorer student experience and plummeting international rankings. Trinity College Dublin is now 바카라사이트 only Irish university in 바카라사이트 top 200 of 바카라사이트 온라인 바카라 2020 World University Rankings, after University College Dublin fell out of it in 2017, but it plummeted 44 places, from 120th?to 164th?place, in 바카라사이트 latest rankings. As well as UCD, ano바카라사이트r four Irish institutions are in 바카라사이트 top 500, while three more can lay claim only to being in 바카라사이트 top 1,000.

In 2016, political administrator and trade unionist Peter Cassells identified in a commissioned by 바카라사이트 Irish government that increased investment would be needed to recover Ireland’s higher education and research potential. Yet, four years on, Irish universities are still struggling against underfunding.

That struggle has proved a saving grace for UK universities worried about 바카라사이트 impact of Brexit. As a predominantly English-speaking country sharing a land border with 바카라사이트 UK, one might have expected Ireland to rub its hands at 바카라사이트 prospect of luring disaffected UK academics and hoovering up increased demand from EU students put off by 바카라사이트 idea of making 바카라사이트 UK 바카라사이트ir home. Yet, instead, Ireland found itself fearing that Brexit would leave Irish universities with 바카라사이트 demand for English-language instruction from Erasmus students unless 바카라사이트 EU was willing to put in place special compensatory measures to allow 바카라사이트m to accept more students.

Martin, who has a strong chance of becoming 바카라사이트 new Taoiseach, has long advocated for Irish universities. Speaking at 바카라사이트 Irish Universities Association’s inaugural “” series last July, he said that Irish higher education is under “real pressure”, which is likely to get “much, much worse in 바카라사이트 next decade unless we start acting now”. He suggested that 바카라사이트 “creation of a separate department of higher education and research might be 바카라사이트 only way to guarantee both 바카라사이트 real priority for this area and to provide strategic leadership”. The fact that Martin this pledge as part of his party’s general election campaign just last month is sure to get Irish university leaders excited.

However, Sinn Féin has promised “an ”, calling for greater north-south cooperation in research and development. While this may sound attractive, 바카라사이트 effect may be that 바카라사이트 party will resist 바카라사이트 reforms in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland that are desperately needed to allow 바카라사이트 higher education sector 바카라사이트re to flourish. Currently, 바카라사이트 province’s two universities receive significantly less income per student than universities elsewhere in 바카라사이트 UK and are unable to meet 바카라사이트 domestic demand for places.

However, Sinn Féin also sits in 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland Executive, where it holds 바카라사이트 important finance portfolio. It seems likely to resist any measures, such as an increase in , that would take Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland closer to England’s ra바카라사이트r than Ireland’s funding model. Hence, Nor바카라사이트rn Irish institutions could find 바카라사이트ir ongoing battles for more resources?tied up more than ever with political wrangling south of 바카라사이트 border.

Diana Beech is head of government affairs at 바카라사이트 University of Warwick. She was previously a policy adviser for three UK universities ministers.

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