The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has criticised the 2% cut in core funding to Higher Education in the Budget, saying it clashes with previously stated IMF policy that investment in Higher Education helps to promote future recovery in countries in economic difficulty.
IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, said that the funding cuts are occurring [...]
The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn, TD, has today (Wednesday, 25 May) launched a new initiative, Springboard, that will provide 6000 new places on Higher Education programmes for unemployed people. The initiative is targeted at those who were previously working but lost their jobs or were made redundant and who, with some upskilling, [...]
Commenting on remarks by the Chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), John Hennessy, that changes to HR management practices would help improve the status and functioning of Irish universities, Mike Jennings, General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), said his remarks reveal the extent to which some persons in the HEA [...]
The Minister for Education, Ruairí Quinn, TD, should move to protect the rights of thousands of researchers, librarians and other staff who are being placed on temporary contracts by universities, in violation of European Directives and related legislation here in Ireland, the General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), Mike Jennings, states [...]
Recent suggestions regarding the public service being ‘not fit for purpose’ do not apply to the universities and their academic staff; instead, levels of productivity are being increased amid income cuts of up to 25%, Dr Hugh Gibbons, President of the Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT), states in an address to be delivered to [...]
IFUT welcomes the unequivocal call in the National Strategy for Irish Higher Education (“The Hunt Report”) for a substantial increase in funding for Higher Education.
IFUT is also very pleased to see throughout the Report repeated acknowledgements of the current quality and high international reputation of Irish higher education. According to IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings, [...]
In response to the story of 9 November 2010 in The Irish Times on salaries in third-level education, The Irish Federation of University Teachers says that of the more than 20 000 people that work in Higher Education, fewer [...]
The Irish Federation of University Teachers has welcomed the increase in the percentage of male students enrolling for third-level education announced by the HEA today, but warned that it highlights ever-increasing pressure on staff and resources in third-level colleges.
Recent data show that the numbers of mature and international students, as well as the traditional school [...]
The Irish Federation of University Teachers has reacted with utter astonishment to the prospect of more funding cuts to universities as reported in The Irish Times today, 2 June 2010.
“I note that in a panic reaction to the prospect of more cuts, some university sources are allegedly considering redundancies for academic staff”, said Mike Jennings, [...]
The Irish Federation of University Teachers (IFUT) has welcomed the candour of the Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority, who has warned higher education staff of plans to make fundamental changes to their contracts, to close courses in colleges and extend the academic year radically.
IFUT General Secretary, Mike Jennings warned that the HEA’s rôle [...]