Economic Insights on Higher Education Policy in Ireland Evidence fro

This book brings together research relating to the economics of higher education in Ireland and presents evidence that will help support policy decision making. It provides an analysis of prominent issues within the higher education sector from an economi

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Edited by

John Cullinan and Darragh Flannery

Economic Insights on Higher Education Policy in Ireland

John Cullinan  •  Darragh Flannery Editors

Economic Insights on Higher Education Policy in Ireland Evidence from a Public System

Editors John Cullinan National University of Ireland Galway, Ireland

Darragh Flannery University of Limerick Limerick, Ireland

ISBN 978-3-319-48552-2    ISBN 978-3-319-48553-9 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-48553-9 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017931594 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover illustration: © Nate Umstead – Getty Images Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland

Foreword

Globally higher education is in a state of considerable policy confusion. The dual policy motivation of equating highly educated populations with high levels of economic growth, and the desire to use education as a means to promote social equity, is appealing for policymakers. Organisation of the sector veers between the largely private higher education market (usually bringing to mind the USA—perhaps unfairly given the wide breadth of institutions there, ranging from the private ‘Ivy League’ to the great public universities and through to Community Colleges) and the wholly public systems (usually associated with the European system). But even in this public structure—the core focus of this volume— eventually the costs of expanding education access leaves governments clambering for funding solutions. Despite the public funding, these solutions are often dressed up in the language of the market, such as encouraging private ‘competitors’ or imposing quality ru