OECD calls for college reform

MAJOR reforms must be made to the governing bodies in universities and institutes of technology to help colleges improve their effectiveness, the OECD has recommended.

As well as suggesting smaller groups with more non-academic representation, the third-level review team from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has proposed a single funding agency for all third-level institutions.

They said the 36-member governing bodies of six Irish universities are too big to play an important strategic role and that the number of lay members is too low.