Former TCD professor sues British college over sacking

A FORMER Trinity College professor is suing a British university which sacked him after an appraisal in which his academic work was described as "testosterone poisoned".

Prof David Taplin, who was professor of mechanical engineering in TCD for 10 years, says his career was "wrecked" after the decision of the University of North London (UNL) to sack him last year.

Prof Taplin hopes to turn the forthcoming court case into a cause celebre highlighting the issue of quality in British higher education. The conversion in 1992 of 40 former polytechnics into new universities - including UNL, the former Polytechnic of North London - was a "botched job" which placed money above the interests of students, he claims.

His premature departure from UNL has created problems for four students, one of them Irish, who have been left without supervision for their doctoral theses. UNL denies the students were ever enrolled in the college, but this is contested by the students.

Prof Taplin was appointed rector of research at UNL in 1995, after almost five years at University of Plymouth, which he joined after leaving Trinity. UNL wanted to build up its research activities, thereby positioning the college to win lucrative contracts.

According to Prof Taplin, conflicts arose within the institution when he "spoke his mind". Although agreement was subsequently reached on broad objectives for the job, his contract was terminated in March this year when the college told him he was not fulfilling his targets.

UNL said yesterday it had no comment to make on the case.

Prof Taplin (57), who is an Emeritus Fellow of TCD, has accused the college of failing in its "absolute duty" to the students by not arranging for another academic to assume responsibility for supervising their theses.

He has also said no system of appeal exists in the new universities similar to the visitor system used in the traditional colleges and the Irish universities.

UNL is one of a number of British universities which have has been active in recruiting school leavers in Ireland this summer.