New university president calls for third-level funding to be restored

GOVERNMENT funding cuts to third-level education must be urgently reversed if colleges are to properly benefit society and the economy, the country’s newest university president has claimed.

Professor John Hughes, who took over as head of National University of Ireland (NUI) Maynooth on June 21, believes not enough importance has been attached to highereducation in Government spending plans.

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern met with most of the seven university heads to hear about their concerns last month.