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Page 9
The College Tribune
March 23rd 2010
The Difference is we’re independent
Grade inflation dismissed as hot air l l
Issue 10 Volume 23
An electoral storm
Irish most employable graduates in Europe Reports of artificially high grades “convoluted” Philip Connolly
International recruiters believe that Ireland produces the most highly-employable graduates in the world, according to a European Commission study of thirdlevel education. Universities in other countries have rated Ireland’s institutions as “excellent” in the report, which was prepared for the Commission’s Directorate General for Economic and Financial Affairs. The report’s release comes in light of a review into supposed “grade inflation” in Irish universities, which came about following comments from some multinational business leaders to Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe about the quality of Irish graduates. The report was based on a study of the efficiency and effectiveness of public spending on tertiary education. It found that Ireland was the top of a list of countries which recruiters found were producing the “most employable” graduates. Ireland came out ahead of second place Britain. Ireland also came second, behind Finland,
in the list of countries that was rated by their peers as having the best universities. “Considering their size, Finland, Ireland and Sweden are the countries with more universities pointed out by peers as being excellent,” according to report. In analysing the efficiency of the various third-level systems worldwide, it found that Ireland, Japan, Sweden, Britain and the Netherlands were top of most efficiency lists. According to Dr. Padraig Walsh, chief Executive Officer and Secretary to the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB), the issue of grade inflation was blown out of proportion by the media. The concept of inadequate education levels actually began with the Junior Cert. “That got translated into higher education. If there is an increase in the number of high grades, how can this be if we are scoring averagely in that? The whole thing got convoluted.”
INSIDE Focus, Page 7
Students gather for the election results in Astra Hall as Paul Lynam is elected to succeed Gary Redmond as next year’s UCDSU president. Lynam, who was uncontested, received 68% of the vote, leaving 32% of the electorate supporting RON. Photo by Barry Hennessy
Happy recession Mr. President Cathy Buckmaster As the university wallows in huge budget deficits and funding cuts, UCD President Dr. Hugh Brady has racked up travel expenses of nearly €100,000. Brady’s bunch of flights has cost the university €97,737 between 2005 and 2010. In addition to his €220,000 a year salary, the president travels in business class and dines in the best eateries. According to figures from the Freedom of Information Act, Brady clocked up the expenses in restaurants, golf clubs, five-star accommodation as well as the flights, all
funded by the Irish tax payer. This contrasts with UCD’s current budget deficit which stands at €11 millon, down from the previous €20m. Expenses include €7,642 on flights between Dublin, Shanghai and Beijing for conferences as well as €1,247 at the fivestar Hyatt Hotel in Beijing. An excursion to New York produced a bill of €2,851. A further €2,072 was spent on accommodation and dinner at the five-star NY Waldorf Astoria Hotel while Dr Brady was attending an American-Ireland Fund Symposium. Brady made light work of his €20,000 limit
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UCD President clocks up huge travel bill University in debt of millions
UCD credit-card, by eating at Ireland’s top restaurants. Statements listed a €457 dinner at Shanahan’s on the Green and €122 for lunch at Town Bar and Grill. The records also showed that Brady hosted a number of events at the famous Golf resort, the K Club in Co Kildare, for donors and business people with over €2,000 paid in total. In 2006 Brady claimed €61 on his credit card for a Sky Digital connection in his office which has been cancelled since. A spokeswoman for UCD defended Brady when she commented that given the tight turnaround of his foreign trips and the
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heavy workload, the president’s use of business class was justified. She also commented: “He doesn’t take down time when he is there, he works on the plane he works non-stop on the ground. Much of Dr Brady’s foreign duties are to do with income generation, primarily through philanthropic donations, and he has to visit the countries where these donors live.”
INSIDE Continued, pg 3