Sir, – I wish to express my concern and disappointment at the failure to date to address and to help resolve the crisis in the funding of Irish universities.
The significant falls in the ranking of our best universities in the QS ranking of world universities highlight the impact funding cuts have had on the ability of Irish universities to deliver to our students the third-level education of international standard that they deserve and our society requires for its future. Cuts to our university funding over the recent period of extreme economic distress have increased our student staff ratios from 16:1 to 22:1. This is completely out of line with the OECD average of 14:1. This situation should not be permitted to continue.
As chairman of the London School of Economics for 10 years, I lived through substantial changes in the funding of universities in the United Kingdom and concede that whatever route is taken the raising of this funding will create acute political difficulties, but we surely have now reached the point when the nettle must be grasped.
Either the exchequer must fund third-level education or the students must do so through a loan scheme, graduate tax or otherwise.
A lot has been learned from the British experience in this regard and now political choices must be made. We can no longer kick the can down the road. – Yours, etc,
PETER D SUTHERLAND,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – Having read and listened to much of the debate on the rankings of our universities, I was struck by how little was said about the role, value and purposes of higher education. In April of this year, President Michael D Higgins spoke of an “intellectual crisis” facing our universities over their role in society.
Events, and reactions to them, in recent days by all players in this debate have, for me, only confirmed this.
I believe that while funding is an essential component of this crisis, it is not the only issue. We must reflect on our President’s words and begin honest conversations about the role of universities.
Perhaps these might incorporate ideas of social justice, diversity, equality, education, and democracy, as well as skills, rankings, and matters economic. – Yours, etc,
Dr SHANE BERGIN,
School of Education,
University College Dublin,
Belfield,
Dublin 4.