College told to set aside €100k for student services after audiology course cancelled

The college that went ahead with a degree in audiology in 2012 without proper funding or approval has been told to set aside €100,000 of its budget for student services.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) sanction follows difficulties last summer for 21 students at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT), first highlighted by the Irish Examiner, who were told the course was being cancelled after completing year one of the four-year course.

Agreement was reached to allow the degree continue for that class only, when HSE placements were approved, but only after two students started High Court proceedings seeking its reinstatement. Some of the class were offered places on a UK degree while awaiting a resolution and 11 are still studying audiology at AIT.