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INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY lecturers remain “far from convinced” by the move towards Technological University status.
That’s according to a new survey from the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), which represents 4,000 lecturers and researchers.
It found that:
Concerns
TUI General Secretary John MacGabhann said that while the union is not opposed to the concept of Technological Universities, “we are unimpressed by the rationale and the model currently on offer, a position backed up by the findings of this survey”.
He said that the union has a number of “significant concerns” over the Technological University process.
Not all institutes have engaged in adequate consultation with lecturers or provided the required information relating to plans to merge with other institutes. Where consultation and information is not fully provided for, TUI will utilise all options open to it to protect the interests of our members.
TUI is “unequivocal” in insisting that existing agreements on terms and conditions of employment be continued in any case where a transfer to a new institution takes place.
It also does not accept that staff could be arbitrarily transferred to other public sector bodies on ‘establishment day’ of a merged entity or Technological University. “Any such attempt will be opposed, by means of industrial action if necessary,” said MacGabhann.
We are also concerned by a possible tension between the Head of Bill for Technological Universities and the Haddington Road Agreement, which TUI members voted to accept. The protections of this agreement must prevail for its full duration.
The union fears that the move towards Technological University could lead to a dramatic reduction in regional provision of programmes and a corresponding inequity in respect of access to higher education.
The TUI said it expects that there will be full consultation and assurance on the maintenance of existing conditions of service.
Survey results
Questioned on whether their institute should remain a stand-alone IoT, 48.7 per cent agreed, compared to 32.8 per cent who disagreed; 20.3 per cent were neutral.
On whether their institute should develop merger proposals with another IoT(s), 39.8 per cent disagreed, compared to 39.45 per cent who agreed; 19.8 per cent were neutral.
On whether their institute should merge and apply for technological university status, 50.7 per cent disagreed, compared to 29.2 per cent who agreed; 19.8 per cent were neutral.
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It all depends on which institute of Technology. Waterford, Cork & Dublin IT have been operating at university level for a number of years now while others such as Tralee, Letterkenny & Carlow are miles off university level. Waterford should have been upgraded 10 years ago & the South-East given a level playing field to compete with the other regions. Too much opposition from vested interest in the established universities prevented that happening.
I have heard that if WIT did become a technological university, it would lose all it’s non-tech courses such as business, humanities and nursing. This would be a disaster for WIT! Can anybody confirm if this is in fact the case?
No Dáithí, thats not the case. A TU, as proposed, would offer programmes at all levels on the NFQ scale (Levels 6 through 10) and would be closer in the breadth of its provision to an established university than an IoT. The report by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection last Thursday gives a comprehensive overview (particularly the appendices) http://www.oireachtas.ie/parliament/mediazone/pressreleases/name-21847-en.html
Carlow IT won IT of the year last year beating Waterford Dublin and Cork. Personally I think it Is a great IT and better off on it’s own and not merging with Waterford.But I’m in my last year of games development ,IT Carlow where the first IT to offer such a course and it is still consider by many in the industry as the best. So the merge won’t effect me.
Yep, Carlow was the first to do Games dev, I have a few friends who are graduates! But WIT has the longest running IT course (Applied Computing). I don’t think those “IT of the year” awards are anything to get excited over as all the ITs (and universities) around the country have their own strengths and weaknesses in different departments.
@Thomas I don’t believe WIT needs university status, we have a fantastic research group that emerged from WIT (TSSG) and out of that came FeedHenry.
Better to be a good IT than a crap university I suppose.
And were their opinions based and what was good for the education of future students or what was good for themselves.
Or were they looking for a position
There are far more people coming out of uni with rubbish degrees. IT qualifications are much more practical and useful plus most incorporate work experience.
I am studying in Letterkenny IT and for someone to say that it is far off university status is stupid! Courses hold some of the highest exemptions in the country such as accountancy and the most degrees are level 8 with options for level 9 masters available in the college and the introduction of level 10 next semester!
…and thus further devaluation of better degrees from better institutions.
I went to CIT for undergrad and UCC for postgrad.The quality of lecture in CIT is far better…don’t merge!
No IT should be awarding a level 8 qualification
They should award certs and pass degrees and then you go to a university for level 8 9 or 10
75% of irish graduates get a degree while the norm in Europe would be about 40% so as it stand the irish third level system is a joke when it comes to quality
To the best of my knowledge, the TUI represents less than 50% of WIT lecturers and this survey was only of union members. This should have been made much clearer in how this interesting data is presented here.
Given that it is unclear what a merger might be like, or what the proposed TU means in terms of money and status – half of union members who participated in the survey are not against it. I think the broad worry is that the merger/TU will not bring fresh resources and this will mean that it will not deliver any economic improvements in this struggling region.
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