DCU joins call for a “step-change” in investment in higher education and research
Five organisations representing students, universities, business and academic research have joined forces to call on government and opposition parties to make a step-change in investment in higher education and research. The call coincides with a pre-election hustings debate featuring representatives of all of the main political parties on the future funding of higher education held before a live audience at DCU today and streamed to an online audience.
Opening the debate, DCU President Professor Dáire Keogh said that
“Universities have been the lifeblood of Ireland’s social and economic advance, and it is the quality of our graduates and research that are the bedrock of Ireland’s economic success… We are steadily losing our edge in a highly competitive landscape, where European neighbours have ramped up investment in their people, the ultimate renewable resource.
“The Irish looked on as Brexit evolved, incredulous at the damage and self-harm that decision inflicted on our neighbours. A failure to invest in higher-education will be Ireland’s Brexit. As we face a general election, today is an opportunity for our would be legislators, representatives of all perspectives, how they would rescue Ireland from the ‘oven-ready’ disaster which will be the consequence of the underfunding of our peoples future.”
The five organisations – including USI, IUA, THEA, RIA and the British-Irish Chamber – have made the joint call on all political parties in advance of the upcoming election. In a joint statement, they said:
“Investing in higher education is absolutely critical for the future of the country. We must fund higher education and research for our young people and for our future economic and societal health. Both domestic and multi-national companies cite the sustainability of educated, high-skills talent as crucial to Ireland’s competitiveness. We are at risk of falling behind our key competitors across the globe if the investment, pledged by government under Funding the Future, is not delivered.”
With investment per student far below the EU average, and with student-staff ratios in Irish higher education at 23:1 amongst the worst in Europe, the group of five have called time on the need to invest.
“It is essential that the next government, whatever its make-up, makes the necessary investment to both support the cost of higher education for students and the necessary funds for universities to deliver a quality, internationally competitive education. Our students and young people are the renewable resource for Ireland’s future. Government has identified what’s needed, and this now needs to be delivered.”
Funding the Future, launched by the then Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris TD in May 2022 identified a €307m per annum shortfall in higher education core funding in addition to costs to support students and the funding for additional students and for national pay awards. In the two years since, €100m or just under one-third of the annual deficit has been provided but almost all of this has been eaten up by pay inflation arising from government-negotiated pay deals. Changes to student contributions and SUSI supports were made but have fallen well short of cost-of-living increases and accommodation costs for students.