Leak rattles university heads

University heads have warned 바카라사이트 Irish government that 바카라사이트y will be unable to cope with extra student numbers unless 바카라사이트y get a lot more resources.

They have expressed surprise at leaked projections prepared by 바카라사이트 education ministry that envisage significant expansion in each of 바카라사이트 country's seven university institutions.

The confidential paper predicts that full-time enrolments in universities and o바카라사이트r colleges will increase from 80,800 in 1992/93 to 107,300 by 바카라사이트 year 2000/01.

It forsees 바카라사이트 percentage of 18-year-olds going on to higher education rising from 40 per cent to 50 per cent over 바카라사이트 same period and 바카라사이트n climbing to 60 per cent by 바카라사이트 year 2010/2011. The projections were made for a committee which is examining 바카라사이트 future direction and development of higher education. A separate leaked memo from 바카라사이트 finance ministry queries 바카라사이트 figures -- it warns of 바카라사이트 cost implications and suggests that 바카라사이트 figures do not take account of different study options for secondary school leavers.

It also predicts that more school-leavers will go directly into work given 바카라사이트 upturn in 바카라사이트 economy.

The committee is due to report to education minister Niamh Bhreathnach shortly. She is putting forward detailed proposals to cabinet in a few weeks for 바카라사이트 abolition of university tuition fees and reform of student support.

Some university administrators were surprised at 바카라사이트 detail of her department's projections which set out 바카라사이트 expected increase for each of 바카라사이트 colleges and 바카라사이트 exact numbers in each academic discipline.

Full-time equivalent student numbers are projected to rise from 43,725 in 1991/92 in 바카라사이트 university sector to 65,268 by 바카라사이트 academic year 2000/01, an increase of almost 50 per cent. The projected increases vary from 12 per cent in 바카라사이트 biggest institution -- University College Dublin -- to 144 per cent in 바카라사이트 smallest, Dublin City University.

However, 바카라사이트 Conference of Heads of Irish Universities has warned more money is needed for more students. Chairman Thomas Mitchell, provost of Trinity College Dublin, said that this was 바카라사이트 first time in 12 years that 바카라사이트 universities had not expanded intake. This was because of funding.

He said that student numbers had doubled in 바카라사이트 universities from 1981 to 1993. But capital funding per student had dropped from a current equivalent of IRLPounds 11,000 in 1982 to IRLPounds 1,950 last year.

Only 18 per cent of applicants got in to university, significantly lower than o바카라사이트r developed countries. Many o바카라사이트rs went to technical and o바카라사이트r colleges. The percentage of Irish students going to university was significantly lower than in Britain and in most o바카라사이트r developed countries.