As almost 124,000 Leaving and Junior Certificate students sat exams in June, the Irish Universities Association called on the Government to set out a sustainable funding model to prepare for these and future generations of third level applicants.
The numbers of students commencing exams are the beginning of a highly significant demographic bulge which will have a material impact on the funding per student at Ireland’s seven universities in the years ahead say the IUA.
According to the Government commissioned Cassells Report, the number of students completing second level will peak in 2029 when it is projected to be 27% higher than 2015. This huge uplift in student numbers represents the equivalent of needing another one and a half UCDs to cater for the inevitable demand in third level education.
The recently published Indecon report on the impact assessment of Irish Universities stated that there has been a 50% increase in Irish university enrolments since the year 2000 and growing.
