Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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1090. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the refusal by the University of Limerick to refund, or partially reimburse, postgraduate students for an international trip advertised as part of their masters degree programme that was replaced by an online workshop due to Covid-19 restrictions; the engagement he has had with the over 100 students in this position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32014/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, higher education institutions are autonomous bodies as set out in legislation and are responsible for the day-to-day management and operational affairs of the institution including the determination of postgraduate tuition fees and refund policies. The matters raised are an internal matter for the University of Limerick (UL) and my Department is therefore not in a position to intervene in the related policies of the University.

This matter was raised in the Dail with me and I sought further clarity from University of Limerick. It advised that “Changes in university teaching delivery has had a significant impact on the costs and benefits of higher and adult education. First, it changes the nature of a university’s costs, reducing operational expenditure on utilities and services, but increasing the cost of IT services, staff training in new technologies and the provision of additional counselling and support services for students.

On balance, the costs of higher education are higher in a blended model, and this has been reflected in additional government grants to universities. The budgeting process and Masters programme pricing is completed by the Postgraduate Studies office in consultation with the faculty Deans. The eventual price of the Masters programme depends on a range of factors including the cost of delivery and the support structures including everything from administrative support to estate maintenance. The total fee after scholarships is approximately split 50/50 with central administration and the faculty. As an aside, scholarships for all programmes increased this year as a tacit acknowledgement of the impact of the pandemic.

Within the Kemmy Business School, the fees received do not have a list of sub accounts where the monies are allocated to various costs. The cost of the virtual workshop this year was significant and the time and effort put into the delivery of that workshop was equivalent or greater to the organisational effort for an international trip.

For the KBS, the key task was to ensure that students achieved the learning outcomes as per our mandate from Higher Education Authority (HEA) and audited by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). We are confident that these outcomes were achieved. The cost of delivery between the international trip and virtual workshop or other alternatives cannot be distinguished.

While it is true to say that some operational costs such as heat, light, etc. have decreased other costs have increased. These increased costs include considerable human and technological resources into pivoting to online delivery at very short notice. These costs are spread across the campus and it is not possible to allocate them to particular programmes.

Overall, responding to the pandemic has changed the way that we provide education, but it does not mean that either the cost of provision or the value of the student learning is diminished. Despite the very real challenges, we have continued to adapt our education delivery in order to teach, assess and graduate students with the same high qualifications and skills”.