DCU academics have launched a campaign aimed at protecting the Irish university.
The ‘Defend the Irish University’ campaign outlines a series of principles that third-level education should strive to achieve and asks people to sign a petition supporting these.
The list of 10 principles includes statements like: “the main aim of research is to create new knowledge”; “students are the lifeblood of the university, and the next generation of enlightened and humane citizens”; and “university management should be dedicated to resisting public education cutbacks and not the multiplying of senior management posts”.
The campaign has received backing from academics within and outside DCU, as well as the Irish Federation of University Teachers and the DCU Siptu Section Committee.
Michael Jennings, Secretary General of the IFUT, said: “there is a real and present danger facing universities in Ireland and worldwide.
“Not only are we expected to continue giving a first-rate education to more students than ever in our nation’s history, but we are expected to do so with less staff and less resources.”
As a part of the effort a public forum has been organised for today, Wednesday 23rd, called ‘Defending the Public University’. Chaired by Emma O Kelly, Education Correspondent with RTÉ, the forum aims to “highlight and discuss the ongoing attacks on the public university in Ireland and elsewhere”.
The author of ‘Academic Armageddon: An Irish Requiem for Higher Education’, UCD’s Prof. Mary Gallagher, will speak at the forum; as will Prof. Des Freedman, author of ‘The Assault on Universities: A Manifesto for Resistance.’
DCU’s Prof. Ronaldo Munck will give the introduction to this talk, which takes place in room QG21 of the Business School at 1pm and is open to all.
Sean Defoe
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