Cuts putting 'unsustainable' pressure on universities

SEVERE CUTS in university funding, at a time when the sector faces record student demand, is placing “unsustainable pressures’’ on colleges, the new president of Dublin City University warned yesterday.

Prof Brian MacCraith said while increased commercial activities and philanthropy would help, the cutbacks in exchequer funding would continue to take their toll.

In his inaugural address to an audience of more than 1,200 people, he promised that DCU would be a modern and dynamic college with a strong focus on enterprise and economic revival. He said DCU “is not and should not seek to be a traditional university”. Instead, the college would focus on accelerating economic recovery and delivering Ireland’s future wellbeing.

Prof MacCraith is the university’s third president since its foundation as NIHE Dublin in 1980.

He succeeds Ferdinand von Prondzynski, perhaps the best-known university president in the State, who has stepped down after a 10-year term. Prof von Prondzynski’s high profile has helped the university to punch above its weight in terms of national publicity.

DCU has carved out a niche as a “high-tech’’ university. Prof MacCraith said it was widely regarded as an innovator in the provision of novel degree programmes that anticipated the needs of society and employers.

The university has also pioneered in sports, providing much-lauded scholarship schemes in GAA, athletics, soccer, and rugby.

It is ranked in the top 300 universities in the world – at 279th.Prof MacCraith announced the establishment of DCU’s enterprise advisory board, which would help ensure its degree programmes are at the leading edge in terms of enterprise needs. Former Intel chief executive Dr Craig Barrett will serve on the board.

Dr Barrett has been an outspoken critic of falling standards in the education system.

The Government will welcome Prof MacCraith’s commitment to deepen the university’s links with business and enterprise.

The forthcoming Hunt report on higher education is expected to back a new strategy where colleges specialise in certain areas instead of offering a wide variety of courses. This, it is expected to say, will help build clusters of excellence.

The Hunt report will also advise universities to forge closer links with other colleges to boost expertise and save costs.

In keeping with this, DCU is building a new alliance with NUI Maynooth and the Royal College of Surgeons.

Prof MacCraith has a background in scientific research. He is married with two children and lives in Portmarnock, Co Dublin.