Higher education funding crisis will ‘damage’ students

A university president has warned that any more delays in solving the funding crisis in higher education will damage thousands of students.

As plans for structural reforms of the sector come under the spotlight in plans published by the Higher Education Authority this week, the biggest issue facing college chiefs remains their dwindling budgets, as student numbers continue to reach record levels. The HEA told Education Minister Ruairi Quinn in a document on funding the system before Christmas that the quality of third-level education will continue to suffer unless almost €500 million a year is invested.

Mr Quinn announced in December’s budget that student fees would rise to €2,250 this year and has said more recently that they will probably reach €3,000 in the next few years.