ISSN 0791 1351
ifut news
|
Spring
2002 |
IRISH FEDERATION OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS |
Vol. XXVIII |
EXTRACTS OF MAIN CONTENTS
IN THIS EDITION:
Rates
for allowability of basic flat-rate expenses against tax have been agreed with
the revenue commissioners in respect of 2000/2001 and subsequent years until
further notice. They are as set out hereunder.
·
Professors
€469.80
·
Other
academic grades (incl. temp. lecturers on full hours) €399.97
·
Part-time
lecturers
€215.86
The above may be claimed automatically.
Allowability of other expenses has to be argued for separately and individually.
For period since
To
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being entitled to the increase. (ERC grades -
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Finish
1 See ifut 2001, II.5 2 See ifut ’99,
II.16 3 See ifut 2001, II.1
This statute was extended to all IFUT institutions (save
RCSI, RIA & DIAS) with effect from
IFUT has been in
touch with the various institutions affected to monitor what they are doing
and, in particular, publishing by way of guidelines, given their commitments
under the Act. All pertinent documentation is then supplied to Branch
Secretaries and for Branch Committees to consider. The institutions are also
often advising that their websites be visited by members to keep them up to
date. IFUT itself has set up a Special Committee under the Convenorship of Jerry
Harpur of Computer Science, NUIM, to monitor the situation. FOI Officers have
further been appointed by a number of Institutions.
The circular set
out below was sent to all members 0n
“At its meeting on
“It is the position of the
union that all requests made under the Freedom of Information Act should be
dealt with by College administrations, and academic members should not have any
administrative responsibility placed upon them in this regard.
“In respect of examination
scripts, in particular, the foregoing is apart from the normal, pedagogical
interaction with students that takes place and outside of a Freedom of
Information Act request.”
On
It should be recalled that the
Act does not require open-ended disclosure and there is provision for
exemptions. The implication of IFUT’s foregoing communication is that the
evaluations in question should be so treated. The response has been to state
that IFUT’s position will be taken into account in reacting to any such
requests.
In ifut 2001,
we reported that a High Court injunction against the UCC authorities had been
successfully obtained to prevent interviews for a post in the German Department
going ahead. This was because of the inclusion of the Department Head in the
Interview Board and despite union objections owing to significant conflict
between her and one of the candidates, a member of IFUT. We can further report
here that the College was then obliged to reorganise the interviews on a
satisfactory basis. But considerable last-minute disruption was caused to the
originally intended interviews involving, we understand, persons overseas. This
and substantial legal costs which College had to pay (including IFUT’s) could
have been avoided if the union’s warnings as to its serious intent had been
heeded. We trust that the lesson will have been learned in UCC - and elsewhere.
Pursuant to the Report of the Commission
on Public Service Pensions, any effects of which are likely to impinge on IFUT
members, the Public Services Committee of ICTU drew up a response to its
recommendations. The recommendations, which are somewhat lengthy and detailed,
are in the possession of IFUT Branch Secretaries and Central Branch Convenors.
The PSC response has also been sent to them recently.
Matters
addressed include:
Ø
Retirement age and early
retirement;
Ø
Pensions increase policy;
Ø
Integration with State
social insurance benefits and levels of occupational pension;
Ø
Pensions and atypical
employment;
Ø
Pension scheme flexibility;
Ø
Dependants’ benefits;
A
Working Party of employer and employee (i.e. from PSC of ICTU) representatives
will now examine these and other relevant documents and see how far agreement
on specifics can be reached.
o
The following news release was
issued on
"The
university is at the centre of a vast network of intellectual, social,
economic, cultural relationships increasingly global in their reach … The test
for universities is, essentially, their readiness to mobilise the enormous
talent at their disposal."
Professor
Malcolm Skilbeck
Emeritus Professor Malcolm
Skilbeck, (formerly Deputy Director for Education, OECD), makes this
thought-provoking comment in a detailed analysis of the rising demands and
expectations now being set for universities in the emerging knowledge society.
The Report The University Challenged - A Review of International Trends and Issues
with Particular Reference to Ireland was commissioned by the Higher Education
Authority (HEA) and the Conference of Heads of Irish Universities (CHIU).
In the publication,
Professor Skilbeck draws on his considerable international experience to review
the many themes and issues that have dominated higher education debate over the
past three or four decades. At a time when increasing numbers of individuals
are seeking access to higher education world-wide with whole societies looking
to higher education and research to underpin economic growth, improve the
quality of life and strengthen social cohesion, the demands on the system have
never been greater or more diverse.
The scale of the demands
can be gauged from statistics revealed at the UNESCO World Conference on Higher
Education which estimated that some 82 million people were enrolled in higher
education institutions, a sixfold increase, in the period 1960 to 1995. This
rise has its parallel in
In common with other
countries,
“In an environment of national
goal setting and strategic planning, a traditional society and economy is being
transformed into a modern, knowledge and information-based society. University
reform and development are seen to be key factors in this transformation” says
Professor Skilbeck.
Commenting on the Report, Dr Don Thornhill, HEA Chairman said:
“The days of the old
certainties in our universities of a largely homogenous student body and
delivery systems are gone. It is essential that the new challenges now facing
the system are addressed. We cannot insulate ourselves from change. The only
realistic, if at times uncomfortable, option is to meet these challenges with
enthusiasm. Our universities and other higher education institutions have
enormous talents and resources at their disposal. They have the knowledge and
ideas that can signpost us to the future. They must blend these talents with
leadership and vision and a willingness to accept that new strategies are
inevitable if we are to remain competitive and relevant to the
Dr Roger Downer on behalf
of CHIU added:
“Universities have a
proud and long tradition stretching back well over 1000 years. They have
demonstrated their viability and durability over the centuries as well as the
ability to change and to nurture progress in our world. They have adapted and
adjusted to the great historical and societal changes brought about during the
Renaissance, the Reformation, and explorations on this and other planets, the
agrarian and industrial ages, world
wars, the impact of new scientific discoveries and much more. As the 21st
Century commences, they will have an even more vital role to play in shaping
tomorrow’s world.”
In order to meet these expectations,
Professor Skilbeck says Irish universities need to
v
Review and appraise their policies, structures, practices and
capabilities with reference to the national directions being set in a succession
of strategy documents, major reports and policy initiatives
v
Reposition themselves as a strong system not just a collection of
separate, individual institutions
v
Appraise the quality of their teaching, research and service roles and
set standards including international benchmarking for their continuing
development
v
Broaden and enlarge their student intake, to increase the proportion of
mature age and post graduate students and better meet access and equity targets
v
Adopt more flexible teaching to facilitate part-time study, developing
in all institutions a lifelong learning mentality
v
Strengthen links and partnerships with industry, the community and the
institutes of technology to achieve a more open style of operation and closer
integration with the community
v
Seek to diversify funding sources through increasing the sale of
services on the international market, closer links with industry and the
extension of fee-paying courses
v
In strengthening their collective capabilities and action, to rethink
the balance between competition for resources and co-operation for impact
Professor
Skilbeck adds:
“ … the universities need to work more
closely together, in various partnerships, yet with more entrepreneurial
flair.” [Release ends]
The
specifics of this report by Professor Skilbeck, formerly with the OECD
Education Directorate, have generated a fair amount of controversy. IFUT is
currently studying it and hopes to be able to make its own response to it
shortly.
Over the past few years, a
number of linked Declarations on Higher Education have been issued by Ministers
for Education in
Joint Declaration on
Harmonisation of the
Architecture of the European
Higher Education
System
by the four Ministers in charge for
The European process has very recently moved some
extremely important steps ahead. Relevant as they are, they should not make one
forget that
Universities were born in
We are heading for a period of major
change in education and working conditions, to a diversification of courses of
professional careers with education and training throughout life becoming a
clear obligation. We owe our students, and our society at large, a higher
education system in which they are given the best opportunities to seek and
find their own area of excellence.
An open European area for higher learning
carries a wealth of positive perspectives, of course respecting our
diversities, but requires on the other hand continuous efforts to remove
barriers and to develop a framework for teaching and learning, which would
enhance mobility and an ever closer cooperation.
The international recognition and
attractive potential of our systems are directly related to their external and
internal readabilities. A system, in which two main cycles, undergraduate and
graduate, should be recognized for international comparison and equivalence,
seems to emerge.
Much of the originality and flexibility in
this system will be achieved through the use of credits (such as in the ECTS
scheme) and semesters. This will allow for validation of these acquired credits
for those who choose initial or continued education in different European
universities and wish to be able to acquire degrees in due time throughout
life. Indeed, students should be able to enter the academic world at any time
in their professional life and from diverse backgrounds.
Undergraduates should have access to a
diversity of programmes, including opportunities for multidisciplinary studies,
development of a proficiency in languages and the ability to use new
information technologies.
International recognition of the first
cycle degree as an appropriate level of qualification is important for the
success of this endeavour, in which we wish to make our higher education
schemes clear to all.
In the graduate cycle there would be a choice
between a shorter master's degree and a longer doctor’s degree, with
possibilities to transfer from one to the other. In both graduate degrees,
appropriate emphasis would be placed on research and autonomous work.
At both undergraduate and graduate level, students
would be encouraged to spend at least one semester in universities outside
their own country. At the same time, more teaching and research staff should be
working in European countries other than their own. The fast growing support of
the European Union, for the mobility of students and teachers should be
employed to the full.
Most countries, not only within
A convention, recognising higher education
qualifications in the academic field within
Our governments, nevertheless, continue to have a
significant role to play to these ends, by encouraging ways in which acquired
knowledge can be validated and respective degrees can be better recognised. We
expect this to promote further inter-university agreements. Progressive
harmonisation of the overall framework of our degrees and cycles can be
achieved through strengthening of already existing experience, joint diplomas,
pilot initiatives, and dialogue with all concerned.
We hereby commit ourselves to encouraging a common
frame of reference, aimed at improving external recognition and facilitating student
mobility as well as employability. The anniversary of the University of Paris, today
here in the Sorbonne, offers us a solemn opportunity to engage in the endeavour
to create a European area of higher education, where national identities and common
interests can interact and strengthen each other for the benefit of Europe, of
its students, and more generally of its citizens. We call on other Member
States of the
THE EUROPEAN HIGHER EDUCATION AREA
Joint Declaration of the European Ministers for Education
Convened in
on
The European process, thanks to
the extraordinary achievements of the last few years, has become an
increasingly concrete and relevant reality for the
A Europe of Knowledge is now
widely recognised as an irreplaceable factor for social and human growth and as
an indispensable component to consolidate and enrich the European citizenship,
capable of giving its citizens the necessary competences to face the challenges
of the new millennium, together with an awareness of shared values and
belonging to a common social and cultural space.
The importance of education and
educational co-operation in the development and strengthening of stable,
peaceful and democratic societies is universally acknowledged as paramount, the
more so in view of the situation in South East Europe.
The Sorbonne declaration of 25th
of May 1998, which was underpinned by these considerations, stressed the
Universities' central role in developing European cultural dimensions. It
emphasised the creation of the European area of higher education as a key way
to promote citizens' mobility and employability and the Continent's overall
development.
Several European countries have
accepted the invitation to commit themselves to achieving the objectives set
out in the declaration, by signing it or expressing their agreement in
principle. The direction taken by several higher education reforms launched in
the meantime in
European higher education
institutions, for their part, have accepted the challenge and taken up a main
role in constructing the European area of higher education, also in the wake of
the fundamental principles laid down in the
The course has been set in the
right direction and with meaningful purpose. The achievement of greater
compatibility and comparability of the systems of higher education nevertheless
requires continual momentum in order to be fully accomplished. We need to
support it through promoting concrete measures to achieve tangible forward
steps. The 18th June meeting saw participation by authoritative experts and
scholars from all our countries and provides us with very useful suggestions on
the initiatives to be taken.
We must in particular look at the
objective of increasing the international competitiveness of the European
system of higher education. The vitality and efficiency of any civilisation can
be measured by the appeal that its culture has for other countries. We need to
ensure that the European higher education system acquires a world-wide degree
of attraction equal to our extraordinary cultural and scientific traditions.
While affirming our support to
the general principles laid down in the Sorbonne declaration, we engage in
co-ordinating our policies to reach in the short term, and in any case within
the first decade of the third millennium, the following objectives, which we
consider to be of primary relevance in order to establish the European area of
higher education and to promote the European system of higher education
world-wide:
Adoption
of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees, also through the implementation of the
Diploma Supplement, in order to promote European citizens employability and the
international competitiveness of the European higher education system
Adoption
of a system essentially based on two main cycles, undergraduate and graduate. Access to the second cycle shall require
successful completion of first cycle studies, lasting a minimum of three years.
The degree awarded after the first cycle shall also be relevant to the European
labour market as an appropriate level of qualification. The second cycle should
lead to the master and/or doctorate degree as in many European countries.
Establishment
of a system of credits - such
as in the ECTS system - as a proper means of promoting the most widespread
student mobility. Credits could also be acquired in non-higher education
contexts, including lifelong learning, provided they are recognised by
receiving Universities concerned.
Promotion
of mobility by
overcoming obstacles to the effective exercise of free movement with particular
attention to:
q
for students, access to study and training opportunities and to related
services
q
for teachers, researchers and administrative staff, recognition and
valorisation of periods spent in a European context researching, teaching and
training, without prejudicing their statutory rights.
Promotion
of European co-operation in quality assurance with a view to developing comparable
criteria and methodologies.
Promotion
of the necessary European dimensions in higher education, particularly with regards to curricular
development, inter-institutional co-operation, mobility schemes and integrated
programmes of study, training and research.
We
hereby undertake to attain these objectives - within the framework of our institutional
competences and taking full respect of the diversity of cultures, languages,
national education systems and of University autonomy - to consolidate the
European area of higher education. To that end, we will pursue the ways of
intergovernmental co-operation, together with those of non governmental
European organisations with competence in higher education. We expect
Universities again to respond promptly and positively and to contribute
actively to the success of our endeavour.
Convinced that the establishment
of the European area of higher education requires constant support, supervision
and adaptation to the continuously evolving needs, we decide to meet again
within two years in order to assess the progress achieved and the new steps to
be taken.
Austria, Belgium, Britain,
Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta,
Holland, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain,
Sweden, Switzerland.
TOWARDS THE EUROPEAN HIGHER
EDUCATION AREA
Communiqué of the meeting of European
Ministers in charge of Higher Education in
Two years after signing the
Bologna Declaration and three years after the Sorbonne Declaration, European
Ministers in charge of higher education, representing 32 signatories [now incl.
Croatia, Cyprus & Turkey], met in Prague in order to review the progress
achieved and to set directions and priorities for the coming years of the
process. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the objective of establishing
the European Higher Education Area by 2010. The choice of
Ministers welcomed and reviewed the report "Furthering the Bologna
Process" commissioned by the follow-up group and found that the goals laid
down in the Bologna Declaration have been widely accepted and used as a base
for the development of higher education by most signatories as well as by
universities and other higher education institutions. Ministers reaffirmed that
efforts to promote mobility must be continued to enable students, teachers,
researchers and administrative staff to benefit from the richness of the
European Higher Education Area including its democratic values, diversity of
cultures and languages and the diversity of the higher education systems.
Ministers took note of the Convention of European higher education
institutions held in Salamanca on 29-30 March and the recommendations of the
Convention of European Students, held in Göteborg on 24-25 March, and
appreciated the active involvement of the European University Association (EUA)
and the National Unions of Students in Europe (ESIB) in the Bologna process.
They further noted and appreciated the many other initiatives to take the
process further. Ministers also took note of the constructive assistance of the
European Commission.
Ministers observed that the activities recommended in the Declaration
concerning degree structure have been intensely and widely dealt with in most
countries. They especially appreciated how the work on quality assurance is
moving forward. Ministers recognized the need to cooperate to address the
challenges brought about by transnational education. They also recognized the
need for a lifelong learning perspective on education.
FURTHER ACTIONS FOLLOWING THE SIX OBJECTIVES OF THE
As the
Adoption of a system of easily readable and comparable degrees
Ministers strongly
encouraged universities and other higher education institutions to take full
advantage of existing national legislation and European tools aimed at
facilitating academic and professional recognition of course units, degrees and
other awards, so that citizens can effectively use their qualifications,
competencies and skills throughout the European Higher Education Area.
Ministers called upon existing organisations and networks such as NARIC and
ENIC to promote, at institutional, national and European level, simple,
efficient and fair recognition reflecting the underlying diversity of
qualifications.
Adoption of a system essentially based on two main cycles
Ministers noted with
satisfaction that the objective of a degree structure based on two main cycles,
articulating higher education in undergraduate and graduate studies, has been
tackled and discussed. Some countries have already adopted this structure and
several others are considering it with great interest. It is important to note
that in many countries bachelor's and master's degrees, or comparable two cycle
degrees, can be obtained at universities as well as at other higher education
institutions. Programmes leading to a degree may, and indeed should, have
different orientations and various profiles in order to accommodate a diversity
of individual, academic and labour market needs as concluded at the Helsinki
seminar on bachelor level degrees (February 2001).
Establishment of a system of credits
Ministers emphasized that
for greater flexibility in learning and qualification processes the adoption of
common cornerstones of qualifications, supported by a credit system such as the
ECTS or one that is ECTS-compatible, providing both transferability and
accumulation functions, is necessary. Together with mutually recognized quality
assurance systems such arrangements will facilitate students' access to the
European labour market and enhance the compatibility, attractiveness and
competitiveness of European higher education. The generalized use of such a
credit system and of the Diploma Supplement will foster progress in this
direction.
Promotion of mobility
Ministers reaffirmed that
the objective of improving the mobility of students, teachers, researchers and
administrative staff as set out in the
Promotion of European cooperation in quality assurance
Ministers recognized the
vital role that quality assurance systems play in ensuring high quality
standards and in facilitating the comparability of qualifications throughout
Promotion of the European dimensions in higher education
In order to further
strengthen the important European dimensions of higher education and graduate
employability Ministers called upon the higher education sector to increase the
development of modules, courses and curricula at all levels with
"European" content, orientation or organisation. This concerns
particularly modules, courses and degree curricula offered in partnership by
institutions from different countries and leading to a recognized joint degree.
FURTHERMORE
MINISTERS EMPHASIZED THE FOLLOWING POINTS:
Lifelong learning
Lifelong learning is an
essential element of the European Higher Education Area. In the future
Higher education institutions and students
Ministers stressed that the
involvement of universities and other higher education institutions and of
students as competent, active and constructive partners in the establishment
and shaping of a European Higher Education Area is needed and welcomed. The
institutions have demonstrated the importance they attach to the creation of a
compatible and efficient, yet diversified and adaptable European Higher
Education Area. Ministers also pointed out that quality is the basic underlying
condition for trust, relevance, mobility, compatibility and attractiveness in
the European Higher Education Area. Ministers expressed their appreciation of
the contributions toward developing study programmes combining academic quality
with relevance to lasting employability and called for a continued proactive
role of higher education institutions. Ministers affirmed that students should
participate in and influence the organisation and content of education at
universities and other higher education institutions. Ministers also reaffirmed
the need, recalled by students, to take account of the social dimension in the
Promoting the attractiveness of the European Higher Education Area
Ministers agreed on the
importance of enhancing attractiveness of European higher education to students
from
CONTINUED
FOLLOW-UP
Ministers committed
themselves to continue their cooperation based on the objectives set out in the
Bologna Declaration, building on the similarities and benefiting from the
differences between cultures, languages and national systems, and drawing on
all possibilities of intergovernmental cooperation and the ongoing dialogue
with European universities and other higher education institutions and student
organisations as well as the Community programmes.
Ministers welcomed new members to join the
Ministers decided that a new follow-up meeting will take place in the
second half of 2003 in
The
In order to take the process further, Ministers encouraged the
follow-up group to arrange seminars to explore the following areas: cooperation
concerning accreditation and quality assurance, recognition issues and the use
of credits in the Bologna process, the development of joint degrees, the social
dimension, with specific attention to obstacles to mobility, and the
enlargement of the Bologna process, lifelong learning and student involvement.