A KEY report examining higher education in Ireland is set to back new student fees, its chairman Dr Colin Hunt has said.
In a series of recent briefings to groups involved in education, Dr Hunt acknowledged the financial crisis facing higher education and the urgent need for what he called new forms of “non-State funding”.
His comments were interpreted as support for new tuition charges.
It is widely expected the Hunt report will back a new system of student fees, most likely through some form of graduate tax.
The Hunt group – which includes senior civil servants and industrialists – hopes to establish a new framework for higher education for the next 20 years.
Last week, Dr Hunt and two key members of his review body – Brigid McManus, secretary general of the Department of Education and Shane Kelly , former president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) – briefed various groups on their forthcoming report. These included the Irish Federation of University Teachers, the Teachers Union of Ireland and the USI.
A source who attended the briefings said: “It’s now clear – fees are on the way back. The exchequer cannot afford to fund the continued huge expansion of third level. Students will pick up the tab.” The group will complete its report next month. It is expected to be published in September.
The report is also expected to back a new strategy where colleges specialise in certain areas instead of offering a wide variety of courses. This, it says, will help build clusters of excellence.
The Hunt report will also advise universities to forge closer links with other colleges to boost expertise and save costs.
The strategy will back a new performance management system for academics and greater involvement by some key researchers in teaching and lecturing.
Yesterday a senior academic also backed the reintroduction of third-level fees. Dr Declan Jordan of the department of economics at UCC said students fees could contribute significantly to the creation of a smart economy.
Dr Jordan said the Green Party obtained a stay on the reintroduction of fees as part of the revised programme for government, but there were strong arguments in favour of charging individuals for the benefits that accrue from becoming graduates.
While there were positive benefits to society and economy from increasing the number of graduates, research has shown most of the benefits of a third-level education accrue to the individual through higher earnings.
“This suggests that the majority of the cost of third-level education should fall on the student benefiting from it,” said Dr Jordan.
