Dr. Patrick Prendergast:

Irish higher education institutions are performing exceptionally well for the funding they receive. Even at the height of the boom in 2008, funding per student in Irish universities was not at OECD levels. The staff to student ratio in Trinity College is higher than 20 students per staff member, which is much higher than international norms. The University of Edinburgh, the university against which we often benchmark Trinity College, has closer to 12 students per staff member. We are performing to deliver high quality higher education and conduct research that benefits society and develops the knowledge economy. Trinity College collaborates closely with many universities in the higher education system, including University College Dublin. For example, we do so very effectively through the TCD-UCD innovation academy. As well as partnerships with a name attached to them, as it were, academic staff in both institutions are collaborating in many areas where it makes sense to do so and delivers benefits to students.