Objective 10
Overcome financial, human resource management and other external constraints
The significant impact of the global economic crisis on Ireland has generated substantial ongoing challenges for the University in terms of financial and human resource management. Equally, the constraints on the National Exchequer have led to a tendency for government to employ a restrictive approach to budgetary and human resource policy in the universities. This approach has significantly compromised the autonomy of our universities and threatens to undermine our ability to conduct world-class research and education and to act in an independent and entrepreneurial manner to develop alternative non-exchequer funding streams.
To overcome these financial challenges we will work with the Irish Universities Association (IUA) and with government through the Department of Education and Skills and the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to develop and agree a sustainable funding mechanism for the universities in Ireland which covers the full cost of providing a world-class research-led university education. Additionally, we will work to generate additional non-exchequer income by attracting increased numbers of non-EU and graduate students, by the further provision of professional development programmes and the performance of research and consultancy contracts. Success will be measured by a significant increase in the annual income per Irish and EU student, and increased income from non-EU students, from professional and executive education and from non-exchequer funded research and consultancy.
In the area of human resource management, we will work with the IUA and with government through the Department of Education and Skills and the HEA, to address public pay policy and other Public Service employment constraints to provide opportunities for development, advancement and appropriate reward for our faculty and staff, and to allow us to employ the number of staff required to achieve our vision. Success will be measured through increased flexibility in the employment of staff, and a removal of the constraints on the number of core staff we employ.
To ensure that the independence of the University, our ability to use funding effectively, and our ability to act in the best interests of the country are not jeopardised, we will work closely with government ministers, the Department of Education and Skills and the HEA to ensure that policies are informed by our knowledge and experience of the sector, and that those policies do not adversely impact on our ability to deliver our mission and vision.
