Rónán Mullen (Independent) | Oireachtas source

In recent times, universities have been confirming that in most, if not all cases, there will be little face-to-face teaching. Instead, they will be relying on online learning. Even that pill-sweetening phrase, "blended learning", seems to have little applicability in reality.

Students are wondering why there is no corresponding reduction in the fees they are required to pay for their courses. This is especially the case considering colleges make so much of what they call the college experience when they justify the large fees students have to pay. I am thinking in particular of postgraduate students. One of them made the point to me that in the case of UCD graduate entry medicine students, 70% of them are withholding what they regard as exorbitant fees. UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School students are lobbying for a 30% reduction in their fees. The postgraduate students in question have been given a €250 rebate. That is practically insignificant when one considers the fees themselves are something of the order of about €18,000.

UCD claims the value of degrees has not been diluted despite the significant values it clearly attributes to the student experience. This is mentioned in its open days, prospectuses, marketing campaigns and so on.However, as students are pointing out, the current value of this so-called "student experience" is close to nil. It seems there is a valid case for the Government to put pressure on universities and say that something meaningful has to be done on the issue of student fees. I know that the decrease in State funding for third level education has led to universities becoming increasingly reliant on student fees but it cannot be acceptable. That situation cannot be allowed to remain unamended when students are having a very different "college experience".