Cowen to back college plan despite objections

TAOISEACH Brian Cowen will give the Government’s backing today to a controversial research collaboration between two universities which has already created major divisions within the third-level sector.

Trinity College Dublin (TCD) provost Dr John Hegarty and University College Dublin (UCD) president Dr Hugh Brady will this afternoon announce details of plans for significant sharing of research facilities and staff. But the weight accrued to the initiative by the scheduled attendance of Mr Cowen, Tánaiste Mary Coughlan and Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe will lead other universities to fear devastating impacts on their work.

While the allocation of designated state funding for TCD-UCD research projects is not now expected, the presidents of the other five universities believe the plan will lead to the creation of a two-tier higher education system with international and industry collaboration being placed at risk if the Government is seen to strongly support joint research activities at just two of the country’s 21 main third-level institutions.