A radical restructuring plan proposed by the TCD provost Dr John Hegarty has unleashed a storm of protest from academic staff. But the provost is pressing on. Major change is inevitable, he says. Seán Flynn, Education Editor reports

'I believe in what I am doing. I am not in this job to court popularity. I am acting in the best long-term interest of this college.'

The provost of Trinity College Dublin, Dr John Hegarty, is talking about his ambitious restructuring plans, which have drawn a hostile response from some members of his academic staff. He has been accused of undermining scholarship and potentially damaging the college's proud status and reputation.

His proposals are very radical. The number of departments will be cut from 61 to about 20 and the number of faculties halved to just three.

Nothing is set in stone. A consultation process is now in train. From this, a final proposal will be prepared and brought to the college's governing body. There will be some changes. But Hegarty is convinced that major change will be supported when he brings forward his final proposals in July.

The scale of the restructuring plan has shaken some staff because radical change is unexpected in a thriving, successful university such as Trinity. Demand for places is at record levels. The college is performing very strongly in the competition for research funds. So why the need for such a radical shake-up?

"This is about preparing ourselves for future challenges. We are heading into a difficult future. The level of State funding for the university sector is falling. We are struggling to cope with an effective 14 per cent cut in funding in the past two years. International competition is increasing. We need to examine the ways in which we allocate our resources."

Hegarty points out that over 40 per cent of Trinity's departments have an academic staff of 10 or less. "With scarce resources, many department heads finds themselves overwhelmed by administrative duties. We want to create new structures that will allow them to concentrate on the task of leadership. I want the focus right across this college to be on our core mission of teaching and research - and I want new structures which allow us to do this."

Hegarty also believes that new streamlined departments would allow for greater flexibility and a more inter-disciplinary approach, particularly in the key research area.

"All of the major research projects now range across various academic disciplines. We might have a project that ranges across, say physics, biology and chemistry. but we do not always have the flexibility we need to work on major inter-disciplinary research."

Hegarty also wants resources to follow the best teaching and research. "Resources must follow academic activity much more transparently. Our values, priorities and strategic plans must dictate the areas to be supported. We need new structures where departments which are doing really good or strategically important work are rewarded, whether this is a big department or a relatively small ones. We need to provide greater incentives for individual departments."

The provost is unfazed by protests by some in the college. "If criticism is something you cannot handle, then you should not be in this job."

He is also anxious to place the criticism in context. "Strong reservations were expressed by a small number of fellows, but I have to deal with a staff of about 2,000 and there are many, many people who see the need for change along the lines proposed. I have no problem with the criticism coming my way. Debate is a vital part of the process we are engaged in. I will listen and the final proposals will reflect the outcome of the consultation process."

But he is also resolute in his view of the need for substantial change. "This is not change for change's sake. This is what we need to do so that we can position ourselves for the change that is coming in any case from government and other outside parties. The challenge is to allow others to force this change or to introduce it in a controlled manner, through which the college itself can dictate things. We will make a decision in principle by July. We don't want to spend years doing this. We either do it - or we don't."

Irrespective of what happens in Trinity, Hegarty expects the forthcoming OECD review of the third-level sector in this State to herald significant change. "The issue of future funding will form a key element of the report. I suspect that the fees issue or other funding mechanisms will be revisited."

He also expects the OECD review to propose a new structure to direct overall Government policy for third-level. At present, he says, there is a lack of an "over-arching policy on higher education. There is a contradiction between the rhetoric that acknowledges the immense contribution of the universities and the reality of budget cuts and scarce resources.

"The cutbacks mean that every department in Trinity is under stress as they struggle to cope. Every area of activity has been hit. Our range of student services has been curtailed. We now have a distressing situation where even those students who need urgent counselling services must wait for an appointment."

Hegarty says the universities have failed to make the case for stronger funding to the public and they have failed to win much sympathy from the Minister for Education and Science, Noel Dempsey. However, the Government has generously supported research activity in recent years.

The Minister, says Hegarty, should be taking a much stronger role in championing the case of the universities for improved funding.

"He is a man of great principle and, clearly, he has his own priority areas such as primary education. But we need to convince him that the universities are not in competition with primary schools for funding. It should not be a case of opting for more university funding or dealing with the years of under-investment in primary schools. Funding for higher education needs to be placed in a broader context. We need to stop the rhetoric and move on to a new funding level; one which reflects the pivotal importance of the universities to Ireland's economic, social and cultural well-being."

As it is, the cuts mean a ban on recruitment of staff at Trinity and a situation in which contracts - even for some essential personnel - are not renewed. A total of 100 jobs have gone. More cutbacks seem likely.

Through it all, Hegarty maintains an unruffled air. There has been some loose talk around the college that he might leave the post if his restructuring plan hits the buffers. But there is little sense of this in his supremely confident, easy manner.

His 10-year term of office expires in 2011.

"It was difficult to imagine what this post would be like until you actually do it. It is even more exciting and more challenging than I thought it would be. I have an exciting agenda and I am determined to drive it forward. I am working to protect this great college. Leadership is about the ability to take the wider view and about having a strategy and a vision for the future. I am working to provide that."