Minister questions universities' dual role

Minister questions universities' dual role

Ireland's Education Minister questioned whether it should continue to be the norm for universities to have both teaching and research roles, at a conference on “Learning in the Europe of Knowledge”, held in Galway, Ireland.

He cited the examples of the grandes ecoles in France and arts colleges in the USA, which successfully focus on scholarship rather than research.

Alluding to the funding crisis affecting universities in several EU states,he rejected both increasing overall government resources and increasing the proportion of government resources allocated to higher education. He suggested,instead, that the debate should focus on increasing the private resources invested in higher education.