- About Us
- Campus Life
- Rankings and Accreditation
- Support Smurfit
- News
- Events Calendar
- Multimedia Centre
- Photo Gallery
Prof Pat Gibbons comments on continuing “free” third-level education.
Date: 30 Oct 2009
Publication: Sunday Independent Business
Date: Sunday, October 25th, 2009-10-30
Author: Pat Gibbons
Headline: SHORT VIEW
As the economic crisis exposes poor choices made over the past decade, thoughts turn to the consequences of current choices.
The revised Programme for Government is underpinned by a commitment to continuing “free” third-level education.
This commitment is often seen as a symbol of the “value” we place, as a nation, on education. The fruits of this value have recently been called into question by Craig Barrett, the former Intel chairman, who apparently contrasted the scale of our crisis in education with our financial and banking crisis. This criticism amplifies earlier warnings by David O’Meara, the CEO of Havok, an Irish-based Intel subsidiary.
The conceit of “free” third-level education represents ongoing commitment to inveterate populism over insightful policy choice. Continuing the conceit seeks not only to mask the costs borne by taxpayers by the “value” derived by a relatively smaller group of students, but also masks the sacrifices in other areas of public expenditure to support “free” fees.
Having the beneficiary pay may offer a number of benefits. The beneficiary will demand more from the Institutions and of themselves, with positive outcomes for both. State interference in universities may yield politically acceptable outcomes, but may be inimical to the pursuit of excellence.
Specifically, the reintroduction of economic fees (with a comprehensive and adequately financed access programmes) may induce a level of competition across third-level institutions which will force them to differentiate their offerings on the basis of quality and innovation-outcomes that will benefit economic growth, academic achievement and societal progress.
Prof Pat Gibbons is Jefferson Smurfit Professor of Corporate Planning, UCD Business Schools. He will facilitate a UCD Business School ‘Growing Ireland’ series conference on November 12th at UCD.
back to News
