3rd Level Fees Will Cause ITs to Die

[Factorem]

Why pay top dollar to go to Tipp Inst/NUI Maynooth/Tallaght IT, when you can study abroad in a higher ranking university and get better lecturers/facilities?

We need to cut the number of ITs by 66% and down the number of universities to 5.

Trinity/UCD will find it increasingly difficult to attract the best of the best: once fees come in there'll be less of a barrier to studying in the top UK/US universities. It's happening already.

The undergraduate farm mentality prevalent throughout Irish 3rd level education is taking its toll.

Not only that, people who do endure the education system (and in the process are infected with its medioctrity) will tend to emigrate -- especially the ones who have a half-decent brain screwed onto them.

[KingKane]

Why would you be paying top dollar?

[Factorem]

Why would you be paying top dollar?

Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot that 90% of the Irish 3rd level education system is yellow-pack.

[KingKane]

Oh yeah, sorry. I forgot that 90% of the Irish 3rd level education system is yellow-pack.

It's just that most (not all mind) of those attending the ITs are there for reasons that would make them travelling to top universities aboard somewhat unlikely.

[Factorem]

It's just that most (not all mind) of those attending the ITs are there for reasons that would make them travelling to top universities aboard somewhat unlikely.

One thing's for certain, the re-introduction of fees will change the landscape. Considerably.

Certain ITs are at risk of becoming ghost campuses.

Hopefully students will cop themselves on too and expect more: i.e. higher quality lecturers and an efficient college administration.

If anything comes out of all this, I hope the days of 11's, 90 minute lunches and home in time for CountDown are behind us.

[KingKane]

One thing's for certain, the re-introduction of fees will change the landscape. Considerably.

Certain ITs are at risk of becoming ghost campuses.

Hopefully students will cop themselves on too and expect more: i.e. higher quality lecturers and an efficient college administration.

If anything comes out of all this, I hope the days of 11's, 90 minute lunches and home in time for CountDown are behind us.

What you mean is that the content of your OP was bunkum and you know nothing about 3rd level as it is currently set up if you are unaware that people are already paying fees. All that Batt is talking about is increasing them.

[locke]

Even before university fees were abolished, RTCs were free. I have no reason to believe that would apply if fees were reintroduced, but no reason to believe it wouldn't either.

[NM_123]

Even before university fees were abolished, RTCs were free. I have no reason to believe that would apply if fees were reintroduced, but no reason to believe it wouldn't either.

This would have to be the case, or else their attendance rates would drop dramatically.

[Spence]

I don't think so. If anything, it might improve numbers attending.

[NM_123]

NUI Maynooth

We need to cut the number of ITs by 66% and down the number of universities to 5.

NUI Maynooth has developed enormously recently and is now a well-established university.

Cut the number of IT and universities would be ludicrous: it would cause a brain-drain here not seen ever before. If there was even the slightest possibility such an event were to occur, no foreign academics would come to Ireland, and those working in Ireland would consider leaving: it would just not possible to do valuable work in such conditions.