universities

Creating a high skilled economy – it begins in school

Paul Gosling on July 2, 2021, 9:05 am

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Northern Ireland’s economy has a number of weaknesses. At the heart of these is the shortage of skills – higher levels of skills moves an economy up the value chain, leading to improved productivity and greater wealth. Too many of NI’s school leavers have lower levels of qualifications and skills than are needed for the modern economy. This reduces their prospects for obtaining well paid jobs, while some will become long-term unemployed or economically inactive. NI has the UK’s highest rate of economic inactivity. A recent report from the Pivotal …

Vocational skills: Northern Ireland’s core economic weakness

Paul Gosling on May 7, 2021, 9:04 am

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Never mind Bill Clinton saying, ‘it’s the economy, stupid’, the answers to Northern Ireland’s difficulties are instead perhaps Tony Blair’s mantra, ‘education, education, education’. In fact, the main way to tackle the economic problems of Northern Ireland are arguably to focus on education and skills. Seamus McGuinness, research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute, discusses the weaknesses of Northern Ireland’s education and skills system in the latest Holywell Trust Forward Together podcast. Although ESRI is based in Dublin, Seamus …

The north’s economic problem – education…

Paul Gosling on May 4, 2020, 7:10 am

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John FitzGerald is one of Ireland’s most respected and influential economists –formerly research professor at the Economic and Social Research Institute and currently chair of the group advising the Irish government on climate policy. He is a strong critic of Northern Ireland’s policies on education and skills training, arguing that these are core factors in the weakness of the northern economy. He is the latest interviewee in the Holywell Trust’s Forward Together podcast series. “In terms of productivity, Northern Ireland …

NI Universities show strong religious imbalance in student numbers

vanhelsing on October 18, 2011, 3:25 pm

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The Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, was asked yesterday by MLAs Jim Allister and Gregory Campbell how many Protestants attended universities in Northern Ireland. The answer – only one third of students. Firstly let’s be clear – it doesn’t matter when students achieve a university place what religion they are. What I am more interested are the reasons behind the figures. Pupil numbers in terms of Secondary and Grammar schools in Northern Ireland can be found on the …

“A considerable element of this will be financed by charging higher fees to students from England, Scotland and Wales.”

Pete Baker on September 12, 2011, 5:41 pm

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With the headlines grabbed on Thursday, and the Northern Ireland First and deputy First Ministers off to Hollywood [USA], the only thing left for Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry, to do was to inform the NI Assembly of the details on tuition fees. According to the BBC report “These decisions are a clear indication that the executive is working for Northern Ireland,” [Stephen Farry] said. “For our future students, for our graduates and indeed for their families and the economy. “A considerable element of …

UK Universities moving into unpredictable waters…

Mick Fealty on September 9, 2011, 9:49 am

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As an addendum to the local decision to peg tuition fees at the current level. Here’s a good video piece from the Daily Telegraph on the UK Government’s still rather nebulous proposal to rank Universities… The White Paper they are discussing was published earlier in the summer… It also contains an incentive measure to encourage universities to drop their fees from £9k to less than £7,500; ie they can bid for some of 20,000 extra under graduate places. Of course, …

NI University tuition fees to be kept at current levels, “subject only to an inflationary rise”

Pete Baker on September 8, 2011, 7:18 pm

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As the BBC reports, Northern Ireland Employment and Learning Minister, Stephen Farry, has confirmed that the bread promised by the First and deputy First Ministers in July, will be on the menu. But we’ll have to wait until Monday to see the details – the NI Assembly being the appropriate place to make such an announcement. [But we need headlines now! – Ed] Indeed. Those details would include whether or not the proposals include students from England, Scotland and Wales. Because there …

More English sponging…or Welsh taxpayers invest in English Universities….

Dewi on December 2, 2010, 1:33 am

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OK the UK Goverment have: 1) Scrapped the Severn Barrage (£30bn.) 2) Scrapped St Athan’s Defence Academy (£14bn) 3) Delayed Great Western Electrification in Wales (£1bn) 4) Closed Newport Passport Office…300 jobs gone. 5) Cut S4C funding by £20m p.a. We, on the other hand, have decided to subsidise English Universities by up to £110m p.a.. We are a kind and appreciative nation I know…..but this can’t be sensible. DewiWelsh Nationalist. Rugby Fan. Know a bit about History and Railways…