Sir - I read professor Gerry Wrixon's whingeing about the poor resourcing of third-level education and, yet again, his absurd claim that resource limitations have created a sub-mediocre university at UCC. Nothing could be further from the truth.
ir - I read professor Gerry Wrixon's whingeing about the poor resourcing of third-level education and, yet again, his absurd claim that resource limitations have created a sub-mediocre university at UCC. Nothing could be further from the truth. UCC contains many fine minds, produces a great deal of talented graduates and contributes above its weight to the academic world - but sadly not to UCC's reputation.
This is entirely the consequence of the ideology, most recently espoused in the so-called 'OECD Report' and its economist-inspired notions that privatisation and income generation are the sole measure of 'quality'. The report showed little understanding of the academic world and none whatsoever of the arts, humanities or sciences - hardly a surprise, as all its authors were civil servants, accountants and economists with limited experience of university administration or research.
There is certainly excellence throughout the undergraduate, research and lecturing members of the UCC community, but they do not display it within UCC because they are driven to excel elsewhere. UCC's sense of community is itself under intolerable strain.
I'm sure any of us could name umpteen UCC graduates or former members of staff excelling in the highest echelons of worldwide academia, industry and government.
It is truly saddening that this talent is not nurtured and rewarded within UCC, an institute that has the potential for international excellence in many fields. Dr Stuart Neilson, York Terrace, Cork