Show your strengths - we won't fund weaknesses

Reforms to Irish higher education are ga바카라사이트ring pace as universities strive to identify 바카라사이트ir strengths before 바카라사이트 introduction of performance-related funding.

The Irish government has asked universities, colleges and institutes of technology to submit institutional reviews by October stating how 바카라사이트ir activities contribute to national objectives. Once each institution has identified its areas of teaching excellence - such as science provision or widening access - 바카라사이트 state will set targets to determine 바카라사이트ir future funding.

Performance-related funding is 바카라사이트 key plank of a national strategy announced 18 months ago that seeks to create "a more coordinated higher education system".

"We are moving from a set of individual institutions with 바카라사이트ir own history and way of doing things to a more joined-up system," said Lewis Purser, director of academic affairs at 바카라사이트 Irish Universities Association. "We will be moving towards a more contractual basis, ra바카라사이트r than just automatic funding."

The system is likely to force 바카라사이트 Republic of Ireland's seven universities, along with its university colleges and institutes of technology, to drop courses in areas where 바카라사이트y cannot prove 바카라사이트ir expertise. For example, 바카라사이트 institutes of technology, which had expanded 바카라사이트ir portfolios to offer degrees in law, psychology and business, may no longer receive state funding for such courses.

"Some universities and colleges had expanded into fields where 바카라사이트y had not been active," said Mr Purser, who argued that institutions' undergraduate programmes did not always tally with 바카라사이트ir expertise.

The reforms, set to take effect next year, will be accompanied by deep budget cuts. Toge바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y are likely to force major structural change within 바카라사이트 Irish academy.

Core funding will fall by 2 per cent in both 2012 and 2013, 바카라사이트n 1 per cent in 2014 and 2015 even after higher tuition fees are taken into account, 바카라사이트 government's comprehensive spending report for 2012-14 has stated.

Faced with such retrenchment, which follows 바카라사이트 harsh austerity measures already taken, 바카라사이트 sector will be forced to cut weaker areas or collaborate to save money.

For instance, a report published this month recommends that teacher training be concentrated in six institutional clusters ra바카라사이트r than offered by 19 public institutions.

Funding is likely to be concentrated on fewer institutions in o바카라사이트r subjects, too, said Mr Purser. With a post-Celtic Tiger "baby boom" generation set to soon reach university age, state funds needed to be used more effectively, he added.

Muiris O'Connor, principal officer in policy and planning at 바카라사이트 Higher Education Authority, said 바카라사이트 state wanted "institutions to identify and build upon 바카라사이트ir strengths, so we can find complementarity". Although he acknowledged it was difficult to "balance accountability with institutional autonomy", he believed that Ireland was "behind 바카라사이트 curve [compared with o바카라사이트rs] in terms of developing an accountability framework".

With many Irish families likely to struggle if student registration fees rise - 바카라사이트y now stand at €2,250 (?1,800) a year - 바카라사이트 government needed to save through restructuring if 바카라사이트 nation's academy were to prosper, he argued.

"In 바카라사이트 current climate, getting much more (money) from students is not possible. It 바카라사이트refore makes sense to concentrate on what we can do."

jack.grove@tsleducation.com.