TEACHER'S PET:Still no word on that much- hyped strategy for higher education. The "Big Plan" for higher education was first mooted last September, but, several months on, the Higher Education Authority and third-level leaders are still waiting for the Department of Education to fire the starting gun.
It all confirms that sense among many in third level that the "Department for Schools and Teachers" rarely averts its gaze towards our universities and institutes.
A frustrated third-level sector is looking to the Department for stronger direction, but there is little coming back. At this point, no one seems to know much about the scope of the review, its proposed timetable or, stranger still, the composition of any review group.
Clarification is awaited from Minister Mary Hanafin, but university heads are not holding their breath.
Rich pickings overseas
Whatever happened to Education Ireland? The new body was intended as a "one-stop shop" for selling Irish education overseas.
But it appears this is another example of a grand plan which is yet to be rolled out. There is a potential multi-million euro market for Irish education if it can sell its products effectively to foreign students. Isn't it time we gave this sector more attention?
Wrixon return
Gerry Wrixon, the controversial - and hugely influential - former head of UCC may have been a much maligned figure on Leeside. And some Cabinet members were less than pleased when he retired abruptly last year, despite all that commotion about a contract extension beyond his normal retirement date.
Happily, none of this has damaged his strong reputation among senior figures in Dublin. Last week, he was appointed by the HEA to a new high-level review group of the the Irish Universities Quality Board, the groups working to raise standards in the sector.
Teacher unity?
Don't believe any of that hype about teacher unity. Yes, you can expect the INTO, the ASTI and the TUI to roll out the platitudes at the Easter conferences. But a "super union" for teachers? Forget it.
The INTO dominates the landscape - and it's not into power sharing.
A matter of status
It was Woody Allen who said that he "would not like to be a member of any club that would have him as a member."
Does this summarise the views of some in the institute of technology sector, who have seen first Waterford and now DIT demand university status?
Some in the institutes would like to establish a new "technology university of Ireland" structure with various institutes designated as constituent colleges.
Interestingly, Dr Jim Port - in his assessment of Waterford's application - pondered how it might become a technology university with a different mandate from the other universities.
This kind of halfway house could be a road to compromise in the bitter row about university status for Waterford.
But it could never take off . . . could it?
