Traditional universities show decline in applications

Traditional universities have lost out to newly created technological universities in overall CAO (Central Applications Office) applications this year, according to latest data shared in the Irish higher education sector, writes Carl O’Brien for The Irish Times.

The trend has sparked concern in some traditional university circles where academics believe the decline is linked to factors like higher rents, travel costs and greater competition from technological universities.

Overall, college applications for traditional universities are, on average, down by 5%-6% and up by an equivalent proportion for technological universities, according to informed sources. The scale of decline is greater in some individual universities, especially those facing local competition from recently established technological universities, and smaller in areas such as Dublin.
Full report on The Irish Times site