Scrap the IT's

[riven]

The original mandate for the institutes of technology was to provide education with a focus towards science, engineering and trades (in support of FAS). I believe that the IT are no longer meeting this mandate and are therefore superfluous as an individual entity. My reasons are as follows
1. Name me a single IT that has a European renounced science research group/profile? I cannot
2. The courses offered by most IT's now include more business and humanities than any other sector including Engineering or Sciences.
3. The remainder of science and Engineering courses are in general offered by the universities and these uni facilities are usually better equipped. (In Engineering I believe that they are not better taught though)
4. IT's are not required to advance the state of research. As a lecturer you can simply be a teacher and do not have to do research. I believe that this is not inline with international best practice (where a certain percentage of research is always required).
5. Several IT have applied for Uni status and are clearly ready to reject the mandate.

My solution is to merge all existing IT's where possible with the closest regional university. Where this is not possible (Waterford maybe though there could be a southern university, Dublin university, University of the west etc) the institute could be considered for uni or technically uni status.
The reasons for this are to allow the congregation of expertise within Ireland that exists in many Science fields. However currently this expertise is poorly communicated on an Irish (never mind European) basis.

[BodyofEvidence]

The original mandate for the institutes of technology was to provide education with a focus towards science, engineering and trades (in support of FAS). I believe that the IT are no longer meeting this mandate and are therefore superfluous as an individual entity. My reasons are as follows
1. Name me a single IT that has a European renounced science research group/profile? I cannot
2. The courses offered by most IT's now include more business and humanities than any other sector including Engineering or Sciences.
3. The remainder of science and Engineering courses are in general offered by the universities and these uni facilities are usually better equipped. (In Engineering I believe that they are not better taught though)
4. IT's are not required to advance the state of research. As a lecturer you can simply be a teacher and do not have to do research. I believe that this is not inline with international best practice (where a certain percentage of research is always required).
5. Several IT have applied for Uni status and are clearly ready to reject the mandate.

My solution is to merge all existing IT's where possible with the closest regional university. Where this is not possible (Waterford maybe though there could be a southern university, Dublin university, University of the west etc) the institute could be considered for uni or technically uni status.
The reasons for this are to allow the congregation of expertise within Ireland that exists in many Science fields. However currently this expertise is poorly communicated on an Irish (never mind European) basis.

Points one and four are related and one is the consequence of four. That said there are some ITs that are very good despite the lack of mandate to do research (cork IT in computers for example). These however tend to come aout due to linkages between the individual staff there with the local university (UCC has an excellent compsci dept). So one way would be to start with two simple things: all new IT appointments to have a PhD or evidence of research expertise and all IT staff to do research. That however, the latter, would require more staff as the teaching load is high as it is and good research doesnt come with high teaching loads. That in turn would require mor einvestment in staff. So it wont happen.

[wombat]

They need to re - focus on what they were intended to do which is to teach technological courses with an emphasis on application rather than theory. Originally, lecturers were recruited who had industrial experience rather than being academically brilliant - it was possible to teach with a pass degree rather than a PhD which is generally the University requirement. Unfortunately due to political pressure many of the ITs are more like 3rd rate universities than centres of technical excellence.

[Barry]

3. The remainder of science and Engineering courses are in general offered by the universities and these uni facilities are usually better equipped. (In Engineering I believe that they are not better taught though)

Why do you say uni's are better equipped than ITs in engineering?

I know if one IT which contains one of only two, advanced SLS prototyping machines, in all of Irelands educational institutions.

[BodyofEvidence]

Why do you say uni's are better equipped than ITs in engineering?

I know if one IT which contains one of only two, advanced SLS prototyping machines, in all of Irelands educational institutions.

And if one looks at the research and research relatd outputs one finds that the ITs are.....?

[wombat]

Why do you say uni's are better equipped than ITs in engineering?

Better teachers

[BodyofEvidence]

Better teachers

proof of which is contained .....where ?

[Barry]

And if one looks at the research and research relatd outputs one finds that the ITs are.....?

I dont know, remind me.

Im talking about equipment.

[Bobert]

The original mandate for the institutes of technology was to provide education with a focus towards science, engineering and trades (in support of FAS).

Which they are still doing.

1. Name me a single IT that has a European renounced science research group/profile? I cannot

Galway Mayo Institute of Technology

2. The courses offered by most IT's now include more business and humanities than any other sector including Engineering or Sciences.

Not true. IT's are still more engineering and science orientated.

3. The remainder of science and Engineering courses are in general offered by the universities and these uni facilities are usually better equipped. (In Engineering I believe that they are not better taught though)

That I do agree with.

4. IT's are not required to advance the state of research. As a lecturer you can simply be a teacher and do not have to do research. I believe that this is not in line with international best practice (where a certain percentage of research is always required).

Yes, I agree that IT's should do more research.

5. Several IT have applied for Uni status and are clearly ready to reject the mandate.

Which ones?

My solution is to merge all existing IT's where possible with the closest regional university. Where this is not possible (Waterford maybe though there could be a southern university, Dublin university, University of the west etc) the institute could be considered for uni or technically uni status.

No. Move them to small towns so as to encourage greater student population and commerce in that town.

[lostexpectation]

Its should stay ITs and uni's unis, forcing everyone to choose 4 year courses at 17 years is a disaster waiting to happen.