Registration fees hike ‘to maintain education quality’

COLLEGE registration fees will have to rise if the quality of education for third-level students is to be maintained, the head of the country’s second largest university has claimed.

Dr Michael Murphy was speaking as he launched a strategic plan for University College Cork (UCC), which sets a target of increasing non-Exchequer funding by 50%, or up to €12 million a year, by 2012.

After the Government parties’ recent agreement that tuition fees will not be brought in during the lifetime of the current coalition, questions have been raised about the possibility that the €1,500 upper limit on registration fees colleges can charge for student services could be increased.