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THE STRONG showing of the Irish university sector in the prestigious Times Higher Education/QS World University Rankingis an impressive achievement which should be widely applauded. Yes, the rankings – like most education league tables – can be flawed and open to manipulation but they still represent an internationally-recognised benchmark. Trinity and UCD are now safely ensconced within the elite group of the world’s top 100 colleges. NUI Galway and UCC have also shown spectacular growth. There is evidence here of a sector which is continuing to perform and innovate.

The performance is all the more remarkable given the financial pressures bearing down on higher education. While funding for research and innovation increased dramatically in recent years, the McCarthy report appears sceptical of its value and the Department of Finance has already cut some funding. The universities are also wrestling with the new Employment Control Framework, where recruitment is restricted and controlled by Government.