Ireland
Following several developments in the field of governance of higher education, in 2014 the Irish Universities Association (IUA) requested EUA to complete a new collection round of Irish data with a view to releasing an updated version of the Autonomy Scorecard for Ireland. The ensuing report outlined the evolution reported by IUA for the period 2010-2014 as well as general trends in the field of governance and autonomy in Ireland. The present report offers a further update of the situation in Ireland, valid for 2016.
Recent developments:
- Entrenchment of restrictions imposed by the Employment Control Framework
- Post-2014 developments
- The “student contribution” charged to national and EU students was increased by the government to 3 000 Euros per annum since the 2015-16 academic year;
- The new national agency, Quality and Qualifications Ireland, has since been established and is now operational. Irish universities are obliged to use this agency for their external institutional reviews.
Organisational autonomy: medium high
Irish universities select, appoint and dismiss executive heads autonomously, and do not need the validation from an external authority. The term of office is set in the law. The composition of the main decision-making body is strictly regulated, with mandatory inclusion of external members whose appointment involves an external authority. Universities are restricted in their capacity to decide on academic structures and create legal entities.
Financial autonomy: medium high
Increasing restrictions apply to the internal allocation of funds received from the annual block grant. Universities may not keep surpluses and are limited in their capacity to borrow money. Universities may own real estate and minor restrictions apply to selling buildings. Universities cannot set the level of fees for national and EU students at Bachelor level, but are free to do so in the other cases.
Academic autonomy: high
Universities decide on the overall student numbers and may select students both at Bachelor and Master levels. Universities can essentially introduce new programmes without prior accreditation. They undergo mandatory institutional accreditation by the national quality agency. They design the content of programmes without constraints and decide on the language of instruction.
Staffing autonomy: medium low
While universities are theoretically free to hire and promote senior academic and administrative staff, the moratorium set as part of the Employment Control Framework continues to apply. Universities have reduced capacity to decide on salaries and dismissals since the government and trade unions established collective agreements.
Organisational weighted 73% unweighted 71%
100% Selection procedure for the executive head
The selection of the executive head is not validated by an external authority
100% Selection criteria for the executive head
The selection criteria for the executive head are not stated in the law
This applies to 9 other countries: Austria, Wallonia, Iceland, The Netherlands, Norway, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Dismissal of the executive head
The procedure for the dismissal of the executive head is not stated in the law
This applies to 10 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, Wallonia, The Netherlands, Serbia, Switzerland, United Kingdom
0% Term of office of the executive head
The exact length is stated in the law
57% External members in university governing bodies
Universities cannot decide as they must include external members
This applies to 23 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
Other appointment process
This applies to 2 other countries: Flanders, North Rhine-Westphalia
80% Capacity to decide on academic structures
Other restrictions
This applies to one other country: Serbia
60% Capacity to create legal entities
Financial weighted 63% unweighted 71%
60% Length of public funding cycle
One year
60% Type of public funding
Block grant with other restrictions
80% Ability to borrow money
Universities can borrow money up to a maximum percentage
This applies to 4 other countries: Brandenburg, Italy, North Rhine-Westphalia, Slovakia
0% Ability to keep surplus
80% Ability to own buildings
Universities can sell their buildings with other types of restrictions
0% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Bachelor level
Only an external authority is allowed to set the level of tuition fees
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 6 other countries: Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for national/EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 8 other countries: Croatia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Bachelor level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at Master's level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 13 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Tuition fees for non-EU students at doctoral level
Universities are free to set the level of tuition fees
This applies to 11 other countries: Croatia, Estonia, Flanders, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, United Kingdom
Staffing weighted 43% unweighted 42%
67% Recruitment procedures for senior academic staff
Other restrictions
67% Recruitment procedures for senior administrative staff
33% Salaries for senior academic staff
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for all staff
Other restrictions
33% Salaries for senior administrative staff
Salary bands are prescribed by an external authority for all staff
Other restrictions
20% Dismissal of senior academic staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Serbia
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 8 other countries: Austria, Croatia, Flanders, The Netherlands, Poland, Serbia, Slovakia, Switzerland
20% Dismissal of senior administrative staff
Dismissals are strictly regulated due to civil servant status for some staff
This applies to 6 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia, Portugal, Spain
Dismissals are subject to other regulations specific to the sector
This applies to 5 other countries: Austria, Flanders, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland
29% Promotion procedures for senior academic staff
Other restrictions
71% Promotion procedures for senior administrative staff
Academic weighted 89% unweighted 92%
100% Overall student numbers
Universities decide independently on the number of study places
This applies to 6 other countries: Estonia, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom
100% Admissions procedures at Bachelor level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 8 other countries: Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Slovakia, United Kingdom
100% Admissions procedures at Master's level
Admission criteria are set by the university
This applies to 18 other countries: Brandenburg, Estonia, Finland, France, Hesse, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at Bachelor level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at Master's level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 7 other countries: Austria, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Introduction of programmes at doctoral level
Universities can open degree programmes without prior accreditation
This applies to 12 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Flanders, Hesse, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Termination of degree programmes
Universities can terminate degree programmes independently
This applies to 25 other countries: Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Bachelor level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 19 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Language of instruction at Master's level
Universities can choose the language of instruction for all programmes
This applies to 20 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom
100% Selection of quality assurance mechanisms
Universities cannot select quality assurance mechanisms
0% Selection of quality assurance providers
Universities cannot choose the quality assurance agency
100% Capacity to design content of degree programmes
Universities can freely design the content of degree programmes and courses (other than for the regulated professions)
This applies to 25 other countries: Austria, Brandenburg, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Flanders, France, Wallonia, Hesse, Hungary, Iceland, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, North Rhine-Westphalia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom