The minister for state for higher education has rejected the notion that the creation of new professorships exclusively for women at 12 third-level institutes discriminates against men.

In a bid to address the gender imbalance at a senior level across the sector, twenty new professorships specifically for women are to be in place by September.

Third-level institutions guilty of misconduct or poor performance could see grants withheld under the first proposed changes to the current legislation in almost 50 years.

A long-awaited decision on the Munster Technological University is expected to be made shortly as an independent report sparks uncertainty over the project.

With women making up just 24% of professors in Irish universities, new gender-specific academic posts are to be launched to achieve diversity at a senior level in the third level sector.

BILLY “One Seat” Kelleher: that rather disparaging description of the long-standing TD and favourite MEP candidate, by his party colleague Malcolm Byrne over a perceived breach of an agreed boundary has generated much hilarity this week.

The latest figures to confirm they will seek an MEP seat were Independents Mick Wallace and Clare Daly, who will run in Ireland South and Dublin.

The Institute of Technology Sligo is to receive capital investment of €13.7m for the development and upgrade of its K and L block on the north campus as part of Project Ireland 2040.

Third-level graduates stand both the best chance of securing a job and the highest starting salary, with 94% of the class of 2017 in employment or due to start a job within nine months of leaving college.

Among the 1,715 University of Limerick students who celebrated their graduations yesterday was Dr Sindy Joyce, who became the first Traveller in Ireland to graduate with a PhD.

A revolution in delivering the next generation of high-speed electronic devices is to be led by the return to University College Cork of one of the world’s leading quantum mechanics scientists.

The movement of college students across the border has been swinging significantly in a southerly direction as Brexit approaches.

A legal review of the Higher Education Authority’s (HEA) powers to undertake investigations and reviews in third-level colleges has held up a report on spinout companies at Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) that was due out a year ago.

A review of policies on pay and other benefits for third-level college staff is about to begin, almost a year after it was due to commence.

Higher Education Authority board members raised the role of the Department of Education in their work with a senior official less than three months before the authority’s chief executive stepped down.

Irish third-level colleges are the beach donkeys to the thoroughbreds of the US when it comes to funding, yet they persist in playing a global ratings game they cannot win, says Kyran Fitzgerald.

The resignation of the chief executive of the Higher Education Authority 18 months after being appointed should be of concern to Education Minister Richard Bruton.

Maynooth University increased its annual payment to governing authority chairwoman Nuala O’Loan by 70% to €20,500 last year.

The likelihood of the first technological university (TU) being established in Dublin should be known by the end of summer.

Competing bids by University College Cork was a factor in Cork Institute of Technology paying €300,000 over the asking price for a city centre property.

Third-level dropout rates are as high in some universities as institutes of technology when account is taken of differences in their student intake and other factors.

Two whistleblowers have criticised an independent report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority into concerns they had raised about financial expenses and other HR issues at the University of Limerick.

The rapid establishment of technological universities (TU) is not guaranteed by last week’s passing of enabling legislation, the head of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has cautioned.

There is uncertainty about when third-level colleges can become technological universities (TUs) but the Government insists some will be in place by the end of the year.

No further action is being taken in relation to University of Limerick’s use of severance packages for former staff.

Colleges are being required to tighten their policies to avoid conflicts of interest for staff involved in commercialising on-campus research.

A spike in third-level students registering with mental health conditions has been attributed to better supports and reduced stigma.

IT graduates are more likely than most to get work soon after college and earn much more than all others in the year following their degrees.

Colleges that make unauthorised payments to staff or make misleading or false financial reports could be hit with financial penalties from the end of this year, the Government has decided.

Radical reforms of how third-level colleges share public investment will have little effect unless the Government decides soon how to deal with a funding crisis in the sector, the experts who designed the reforms have warned.

Cork and Tralee institutes of technology plan to spend part of a €70,000 branding budget to assess if they should change the name of the technological university to be created by their merger.

Cork Institute of Technology is being asked for a full explanation of how its ex-president Brendan Murphy personally signed off on more than half the €13,000 costs of two functions to mark his own retirement.

The University of Limerick faces possible sanctions for misleading the Department of Education and others over severance payments to former staff who were then rehired.

The Thorn report makes 36 findings on issues at UL, but it will take another review in a few years to see if they’ve been tackled, writes Education Correspondent Niall Murray.

Colleges are to be given deadlines to improve recruitment and promotion practices that do not support gender equality.

The operation of a €10m fund for college students with disabilities is to be reformed to ensure more people benefit and with fewer delays.

The president of the University of Limerick has said there is “no evidence of anything illegal” in any of the allegations against the university.

Opposition to the creation of technological universities has come from many quarters over recent years. The role of members of the Higher Education Authority is not to undermine stated government policy, writes Seán Sherlock.         

The lack of women in senior positions in third-level colleges remains a problem, despite improvements, the Higher Education Authority has told college presidents.

The HEA is short members and plans to merge some institutes of technology are advancing despite concerns. The education minister must step up, writes Alan Kelly

Colleges and universities will face significantly increased financial penalties from this autumn if they fail to produce audited accounts, ignore salary rules, or breach strict spin-off company laws.

“Serious and widely held” concerns about the proposed merger between Cork Institute of Technology and IT Tralee were voiced by board members of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) as far back as 2014, newly released board minutes reveal.