The latest Higher Education Authority (HEA) report on the performance of the system demonstrates just how well we have met the targets set out in our “performance compacts”. Last year, although the university finances for UCD returned to 2008 levels, the mix of funding sources has changed dramatically, from 65 per cent State funding in 2008 to 35 per cent State funding in 2017. Universities emerged at the time of medieval guilds, as self-governing associations of students and teachers with collective legal rights. History has shown that self-governing universities are a highly successful approach to higher educationYes, not everything is done perfectly, but history has shown that self-governing universities are a highly successful approach to higher education. All without incentivisation from the funding model and in the face of reduced State funding.

Source: The Irish Times January 22, 2018 00:56 UTC