NUIG plans a ‘strategic new alliance’ with Limerick

Date Published: 16-Feb-2010

NUI Galway and the University of Limerick are preparing to form what has been described as ‘a new strategic alliance’ – just a month after the Government’s decision to announce the dissolution of the National University of Ireland as a whole.

The alliance will see NUIG and UL coming together to pool resources and develop a combined strategy for the delivery of third level education in the west and mid west.

The precise workings of the strategic alliance will be made public at an official announcement which is due later in the week, but the move will dilute some of the anger expressed after Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe announced his plan to abolish the NUI.

The body, which awards qualifications in some of the State’s major third-level institutions, is to be dissolved after more than a century in existence.

The decision, based on a recommendation in the McCarthy report on the public service, will yield cost savings of more than €3 million a year, according to the Government.

But the NUI itself says the savings will be just over €1 million as many of its functions – such as the payment of external examiners – will have to be paid by any new qualifications body.

Read more in today’s Connacht Sentinel