Alternatives to higher education needed

The Irish Times 01 May 2015

Alternatives to higher education must be developed for school leavers, to alleviate the financial pressure on universities and institutes of technology, the chair of a third-level expert group has said, writes Joe Humphreys for The Irish Times.

Peter Cassells told an Oireachtas committee the demand for higher education was set to grow by 30% in the next decade. From both a funding view and a “view of what’s right”, other options should be available to school leavers in areas such as further education and apprenticeships, he said. “We have not been asked to look at apprenticeships but in looking at funding requirements we need to be able to comment on that.”

Cassells said the options for school leavers “should be beyond traditional apprenticeships”, citing the example of Denmark where industrial degrees were offered alongside academic degrees. He was addressing the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection recently on the work of the expert group to date. The body, set up by former minister Ruairi Quinn, is due to report by the end of the year on how best to fund an under-strain higher education system in the future.
Full report on The Irish Times site

Receive UWN's free weekly e-newsletters

Sponsored Article

Getting to net zero, one community at a time

University of Victoria staff

Accelerating Community Energy Transformation is a University of Victoria-led collaborative initiative that brings together over 40 partners, including Indigenous knowledge keepers and community leaders, to create innovative place-based solutions for energy system transformation.

Promoted by the University of Victoria.

Sponsored Article

Africa pays a premium for global climate change sluggishness

Stellenbosch University staff

Africa needs to stop paying the price for the rest of the world’s recalcitrance to act fast enough in response to the irrefutable conclusions that climate change is real and that the impact of global warming could be devasting, says Professor Guy Midgley, interim director of the School for Climate Studies at Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Promoted by Stellenbosch University.

Sponsored Article

Innovations to ensure energy savings in a hot, arid climate

UAE University staff

Researchers from the United Arab Emirates University have shown that the potential benefits of building energy savings and a cooler indoor environment, as well as improved cooling effect on air temperature at pedestrian level, strongly indicate that a cool roof with high solar reflectance and albedo is a promising strategy for buildings in regions with hot, arid climates.

Promoted by United Arab Emirates University.

Sponsored Article

A new global university ranking with an ethical mission

Aftab Dean

A new university ranking system aims to serve as a catalyst for positive transformation in higher education, ensuring that universities create an environment grounded in integrity and sustainability that inspires and supports students and staff in the development of novel solutions to global challenges.

Promoted by Globethics.net.

Sponsored Article

SDG progress report launches university into new territory

University of Pretoria staff

In the publication of its first progress report on its contribution to the Sustainable Development Goals, the University of Pretoria is navigating new territory at the same time as it is acknowledging its clear stewardship role in protecting the environment and biodiversity.

Promoted by the University of Pretoria.