2,000 higher education posts at risk of being axed

AN Bord Snip Nua recommends a range of measures to cut 2,000 jobs and save €271 million a year on third-level education.

Just over half of the 15% spending cut would be achieved through “staffing efficiencies”, with two pages of the report dedicated to the teaching hours of various academic staff. The report said the public spending review group understands there is no provision in relation to teaching hours in academic contracts at the universities, and sets out a need to agree increased teaching hours for non-research staff and minimum teaching commitments for senior academics.

A €70m saving on the annual €300m student support budget is proposed, partly by targeting grants at those taking courses in “priority educational areas” such as science and technology. Union of Students in Ireland president Peter Mannion said it would mean certain people would lose out based on their subject choices at college. It is also recommended that savings could be achieved by adding an asset test to the grant application criteria.

The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) said it is unbelievable that a group of consultants can recommend 2,000 higher education job cuts at a time when more people are turning to education as a self-enhancing alternative to employment.

The country’s knowledge economy aspirations could also take a knock from a recommendation to reduce research and development funding by €17.3m and cancel the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions, for which the group found insufficient evidence of a positive economic impact.

The board recommends ending the long-planned move of Dublin Institute of Technology colleges to an inner city campus at Grangegorman, saving €1.5m a year, and possibly €1.5bn in future capital costs.

Other savings are proposed by the abolition and merger of smaller third-level institutions (€9m), reducing funding for teacher training colleges (€5m) and discontinuing the National University of Ireland (€3m).

Unsurprisingly, with a range of options already being considered by cabinet, An Bord Snip Nua recommends a reintroduction of tuition fees in some form. But, notably, the report highlights that 28% of students who benefit from free fees are from homes with income over €80,000, a level far below that at which the minister suggested earlier this year that families might have to make a contribution.