Irish Universities Association calls on government to increase higher education and research funding package

As part of Budget 2022, the government plan to invest upwards of 900 million euro in higher education and research

The Irish Universities Association (IUA) has called on the government to increase funding for higher education and research.

The IUA said that Minister for Further and Higher Education, Innovation and Research Simon Harris has expressed support for the proposals, which were made to government several months ago.

Chair of the IUA and President of NUI Galway Ciarán Ó hÓgartaigh, said that “for this generation of students, it is imperative that this generation of political leadership […] make a step-change investment in the sector […] after decades of under-funding.”
The proposal would see governmen invest €418 million in extra core funding as well as a further €64 million to promote the broadening of access to higher education for disadvantaged students.

Nearly €300 million would be funnelled into research and innovation projects, in the hope of sustaining Ireland as a globally competitive economy.

A further portion of the funds will be allocated to the promotion of ‘green campuses’ and initiatives on sexual consent in third level institutions

Finally, the proposals to government also outline an international fund which will be used to promote Irish higher education institutions abroad and to increase Irish student mobility.

According to Director General of the IUA, Jim Miley, they outline important investment plans in a sector that “has a pivotal role to play in national recovery”.

Rebecca Deasy-Millar

Rebecca Deasy-Millar is a Staff Writer for Trinity News, and a Junior Sophister English Literature and French student.