The research performance of universities will become an important criterion for allocating their funding, the president of the University of Galway, Dr Patrick Fottrell, has said.
However, he said he hoped that Ireland would not follow the example of the UK, where university funding was almost totally based on an assessment by outside experts of their top research papers every four to five years.
The Republic was one of the few countries in Europe or North America which did not take into account universities' research performance when allocating public funding, said Dr Fottrell. Here a "unit cost" system was used by the Higher Education Authority, largely based on student numbers, with some weighting for high-cost departments.
Dr Fottrell was speaking after giving his annual presidential report. He said that instead of adopting the cumbersome title National University of Ireland Galway - given to UCG by the new Universities Bill - it would henceforth be known as the University of Galway.
Dr Fottrell said the University now had a record 9,000 students - 7,500 of whom were full-time. By 2000 there would be over 10,000 students on an expanded campus. With almost 1,100 employees, the university is one of the west of Ireland's largest employers.
With an operating income of £46 million this year, the university will generate over £80 million in the local economy, Dr Fottrell said.
He added £22 million had been invested in capital development over the past five years, resulting in a new student centre, the Martin Ryan Marine Science Institute, a new Aras na Gaeilge for Irish-related studies, the Clinical Science Institute and an information technology building.
Between now and 2000 the university plans to invest another £24.5 million in a modern languages centre, a new postgraduate student building, two large lecture theatres, a further extension to the James Hardiman Library, a second information technology building and a new science building.
To facilitate the continuation of the university's development plan, its governing body is to allow Dr Fottrell, who would normally retire when he reaches 65 next year, to stay on as president until 2000.