Funding, overseas students needed

INCREASED funding and more overseas students are needed to help Ireland attain a world class reputation for research in its third level institutions, the OECD has suggested.

However, its recommendation that research activity be concentrated in universities has drawn some angry reaction from teachers and college directors.

In its review of the higher education system, the experts found there was a consensus that investment in research carried out in higher education institutions (HEIs) was a critical element in achieving and sustaining a knowledge-based society. This is recognised through the success and emphasis placed on the Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI), which awards State funding for buildings, facilities and personnel for significant research projects.

But the OECD review group said a great deal more needs to be done, both in terms of the size of the investment necessary and the organisational context, before Ireland’s research objectives can be met.

“Claims that Ireland is already world class in research in some areas may be justified,” the report states. “But, the overall research environment is not yet adequate to support the achievement of research of international quality in the range of fields necessary to promote the economic development that Ireland is looking for,” it concluded.

The OECD group recommends concentration of research facilities and funding in the university sector, as many institutes of technology have much smaller numbers of students because of their regional location.

“The question of institutional size becomes important when issues of research concentration and postgraduate numbers have to be addressed, because of the high cost of providing the appropriate infrastructure, both physical, in terms of facilities, and human in terms of size of research teams and technical and other support,” the report explains.

Cork Institute of Technology director Dr Brendan Murphy said such restrictions on research in the Institutes of Technology would have serious consequences for the regions and for national development.

“These restrictions include removing our present access to the major research funding sources and restricting opportunities for students to proceed to doctoral level studies,” he said.

Teachers Union of Ireland president Paddy Healy also rejected the idea of research funding being skewed in favour of the university sector.

He said that differentiating sources of research funding would disadvantage institutes of technology.

The OECD team has also urged that steps be taken to promote the increased number of international students after finding that Irish third level colleges attract a relatively modest number of non-EU students.

“Quite apart from the intrinsic value of having a mix of international students, Ireland is failing to attract research students from overseas who could contribute to the research agenda,” they said.