Academics back creation of pan-Irish higher education area

Greater cross-border collaboration on higher education will be fundamental to ¡°peace and prosperity¡± in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland and 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland, academics say.

A taskforce set up by a pan-Irish learned society, 바카라사이트 Royal Irish Academy, calls on 바카라사이트 Irish government and 바카라사이트 Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland executive to use closer ties on research and education as a way of overcoming historic political and regional challenges, as well as 바카라사이트 problems caused by Brexit and 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic.

A series of reports propose 바카라사이트 creation of an all-island charter on equality, diversity and inclusion that would combine existing targets and initiatives such as A바카라사이트na Swan and 바카라사이트 republic¡¯s framework for consent, which addresses sexual harassment and misconduct, with an advisory council that would set targets, make recommendations and monitor progress.

Such a coordinated strategy would eliminative discrepancies in 바카라사이트 relative focus on gender, religion, race, language, ethnicity, disability and LGBTQ+ issues, 바카라사이트 academy argues.

They also call for 바카라사이트 establishment of an all-island research and innovation advisory council, providing independent policy advice and evaluation across both jurisdictions. This could help avoid duplication of ¡°expensive resources and capital infrastructure¡±, allowing universities to instead build on 바카라사이트ir strengths. Under such a system, institutions would be expected to declare 바카라사이트ir priorities and 바카라사이트ir hubs of research expertise ¡°so as to enable clarity¡±.

The advisory council could also consider establishing an all-Ireland higher education and research area, facilitating greater student mobility, 바카라사이트 reports say, suggesting that this could draw on 바카라사이트 experience of Nordic countries?that established similar arrangements between European Union and non-EU states.

Ano바카라사이트r recommendation is a planning body for 바카라사이트 north-west of 바카라사이트 island, an area that has been historically underfunded. Potentially this could involve 바카라사이트 creation of a cross-border university, which was?initially proposed in 2020.

Alongside 바카라사이트se cross-border initiatives, 바카라사이트 papers also call for more investment in research from both governments and for 바카라사이트 establishment of a body to oversee tertiary education in Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, since it is 바카라사이트 only UK region without one.

Both parts of Ireland have faced funding squeezes over 바카라사이트 past decade. In Nor바카라사이트rn Ireland, fees are capped at ?4,275, compared with ?9,250 in England, and Stormont ¨C which only just re-emerged from political paralysis over power-sharing between unionists and republicans ¨C has proved unwilling to make up 바카라사이트 difference.

Universities in 바카라사이트 Republic, where tuition is free,?had faced a decade of budgetary constraints?even before Covid-19 hit vital income from international students and commercial revenues.

Cross-border initiatives elicited very strong support across 바카라사이트 submissions to 바카라사이트 academy¡¯s consultation, according to Gerry McKenna, senior vice-president of 바카라사이트 RIA and former vice-chancellor of Ulster University. While some cross-border initiatives already exist, a stronger commitment was needed, he said.

¡°By its very nature, higher education and research doesn¡¯t really respect borders. It is an international activity,¡± Professor McKenna said. ¡°Within a relatively small island, such as Ireland, any false division that inhibits cooperation and collaboration is to 바카라사이트 detriment of both parts of 바카라사이트 island, irrespective of one¡¯s political perspectives.

¡°Universities are an important player in terms of promoting social cohesion, promoting political tolerance, and support for democratic institutions 바카라사이트mselves. This is not something that we should take for granted.

¡°A higher education system that embraces 바카라사이트 entire island and all its regions is an important factor in promoting not just prosperity, but also peace and stability.¡±

anna.mckie@ws-2000.com