The central grants system may not be able to cope when it is extended to cover all students in the coming years, claims the head of the institute of technology sector.

The country’s third-level institutions have been told to make cuts by the end of the year or risk having Education Minister Ruairi Quinn do it for them.

A €136m boost to colleges and the economy could result from a deal to send thousands of Brazilian students here over the next four years.

As Ireland’s economic crisis bites hard, thousands are returning to college. And many are making radical career changes, says Áilín Quinlan

ACADEMIC standards are being allowed to slide, according to the author of research that shows a doubling in top grades awarded by institutes of technology.

COLLEGES have been accused of increasing the number of specialised courses with limited places to push up points for entry — making them more attractive, but adding to pressure on Leaving Certificate students to get higher grades.

MORE than one in three Leaving Certificate students study for more than four hours a day during exam year because of increased pressure to get enough points for college courses.

WATERFORD Institute of Technology (WIT) has thanked former president Kieran Byrne for his contribution to the college after he decided not to remain on in a management role.

PROFESSOR Kieran Byrne’s role as president of Waterford Institute of Technology will not be extended today after the college board decided last night not to reappoint him after controversy over his expenses.

THE Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) is to ballot its 15,500 members on whether they should end industrial action so they can enter talks on the Croke Park public service reform agreement.

THIRD-level college bosses have warned of further reductions in student services after the sector was hit by another €20 million cut in the supplementary budget.

THE introduction of college fees could lead to students flocking over the border to Northern Ireland, third-level bosses warned yesterday.

EDUCATION Minister Batt O’Keeffe believes it is fair to consider the possibility of high-earning families paying for their children to attend college in order to help the less well-off achieve the same.

The Minister for Education, Mary Hanafin, has announced that universities and institutes of technology will receive €97m in funding from the Strategic Innovation Fund.

THE institutes of technology do not see any need to abandon the college entry points system sought this week by a university president, according to their umbrella organisation.