Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Internationally, the size and composition of governing authorities of higher education institutions have been changing. The model generally favoured is a more managerial one, with a smaller number of members and a majority of non-academic, lay or external members. The OECD report on higher education in Ireland was critical of the size of university governing authorities and recommended that they be reduced in size and that their membership reflect the skill set required to govern a university. The Bill seeks to streamline the membership of governing bodies, depending on the number of institutes of technology which comprise a technological university. The seeking of additional numbers for any particular grouping, including students, would do the opposite and increase the total membership. Student unions are one or two-person operations, but they are highly sophisticated organisations. The student unions in the institutes of technology, for example, the TU4 Dublin consortium, are working together on the proposed merger for a technological university. It is evident to me that the organisations are capable of working collaboratively in an effective and efficient manner. As the Bill stands, there will be up to three student representatives, including a postgraduate representative, on the governing body. This should be sufficient to enable an effective student union or a number of student unions to arrange matters in order that they can share representation, if desired, but in all events, they can ensure all student issues will be addressed adequately. It should be remembered that the student representative on the governing body will serve for a period not exceeding one year but may be reappointed for a further period not exceeding one year. This allows for the regular rotation of student governing body members who should each be needed to facilitate representation of the different institutes on campuses.

It should further be highlighted that the governing body may establish committees to assist and advise in the performance of its functions. Membership of such committees is not limited to governing body members or staff and offers further opportunities for student representation and other opportunities for representative bodies such as ETB members.

On external membership, it will be predicated on a set of competencies agreed to by the governing body with the HEA. Competencies cover such areas as business, enterprise, finance, law, corporate governance, human resources, community organisations or others relevant to the functions of the technological university. ETB members may seek nomination as external members, subject to meeting the relevant competencies. In that context, it will be open to the governing body to include competencies related to student representation, but as there will be student representatives on the governing body, this seems to be superfluous and simply a back door approach to gaining additional student representation. It is particularly the case as the amendment seeks to provide that such an external member would be nominated by the student union.

In terms of regional representation, I highlight the fact that under section 91(1)(k)(iii), a technological university will be required to foster close and effective relationships with relevant ETBs. I anticipate that ETB representatives will have a valuable contribution to make to a technological university through the various mechanisms. Moreover, the regional remit of a technological university is strengthened further elsewhere in the Bill in the sections which provide for the eligibility criteria - section 25, on page 25, which deals with functions; section 9, on page 11, which deals with the strategic development plan; and section 17, on page 20, which deals with meeting the needs of and involvement and links with the community, local interests and other stakeholders in the region in which the campuses of the technological university or, prior to designation, the applicant institutes are located.