Students want say in creation of universities

The announcement by the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, of the Government’s ‘sign-off’ on the creation of three technological universities is welcome.

This provides us with an opportunity to create three world-class universities that have the ethos of an institute of technology. Student input into their creation will be critical.

The technological universities should more effectively deliver the needs of students and should not just be a cost-cutting exercise dressed up as reform. The DIT students’ union — along with its equivalents in the other institutes of technology — looks forward to engaging intensively with the Government, and the institutes, in ensuring the new universities — in terms of courses and facilities — will be of the highest quality.

Another key issue will be their governance. We will be looking to ensure the legislation provides students — through their independent students’ unions — with a central role in the governing bodies and academic councils of the new universities. In addition, we will be seeking to ensure a continued and enhanced student involvement in the new universities’ quality-assurance procedures and the student experience. Finally, I want to welcome Minister Quinn’s intention to create a new relationship between the State and the Higher Education Authority and to put in place a framework to increase transparency and accountability.

However, the agreed performance goals being talked about by Minister Quinn will only be beneficial to students if they are created and driven from the students’ prospective, rather than imposed from above.

David Keogan

President of DIT Student’s Union