Third-level colleges were challenged yesterday to develop new policies in areas such as access and equality as the OECD begins its review of the sector.
Dr Don Thornhill, chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA), said that with the issue of fees "off the agenda", there was an opportunity for calmer debate and discussion.
"The challenge for academic communities is to develop a constructive debate, addressing such issues as equality and access and the wider contribution of higher education to society," he said.
The sector should also be considering ways of improving the effectiveness of the third-level grants system as well as options such as an Australian-type income-related loans system.
Speaking to senior EU higher education policymakers at the University of Limerick, he also stressed that colleges must be allowed full institutional autonomy.
"Our universities and institutes of technology must have the freedom and flexibility required to respond to the demanding and complex environment in which they are operating," he told them.
But the colleges must also develop their system of governance and management. They must also ensure that they were fully accountable.
On the institutes of technology, which come under the remit of the HEA shortly, he said it was the authority's "strong view" that they be given increased independence.
They should be allowed to manage their own affairs without undue interference from the HEA or from the Department of Education.
On funding, Dr Thornhill pointed out that universities receive 80 per cent of their funding from the State. Dependence on the Exchequer in the institutes was even higher at 90 per cent.
Looking to the future, he said, it was highly improbable that the Republic could sustain internationally competitive third-level institutions without a much greater contribution from private sources of finance.
Dr Thornhill welcomed the OECD review. This State, he said, had always benefited from external reviews of its policies and its systems. The current review would be an exciting and constructive process.