Universities propose regional cluster plan

By SEÁN FLYNN. The higher education system should be reconfigured into five regional clusters, according to new proposals from the university presidents.
But the presidents rule out any forced mergers of colleges. They stress colleges should continue to be “autonomous institutions operating through their established management structures”.
The proposals by the Irish Universities Association, the umbrella body for the universities, come in response to pressure from Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn for some rationalisation among the seven universities, 14 institutes of technology and more than 20 other colleges that make up the higher education system. In a recent speech, Mr Quinn said: “There is a need to achieve critical mass through consolidation and collaboration and the development of regional clusters.”
The association proposals are framed as part of the process to build a new “landscape” for higher education in Ireland. The Higher Education Authority will publish its own “draft configuration” of the system shortly. The proposals from the presidents are unlikely to win favour among some institutes of technology who are seeking reconfiguration as a technological university. More...