University chiefs call for extra €150m to boost higher education

THE heads of the seven universities have called for over €150 million extra a year to expand higher education and help the country meet its goals as a knowledge-based economy.

In a submission to the Government, the Irish Universities Association has set out plans for linking institutions’ postgraduate programmes and new programmes for lifelong learning and skills development.

They propose that a transformed third-level sector would feed a world-class fourth level. The key elements of this would also include strong links to other stakeholders and investment in the arts, humanities and social sciences to promote research and creativity.