General Bias towards UCD/Trinity in Educational Reporting in daily newspapers.

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 11:25AM #1

This is something I have noticed in the last 20 years in the main Irish newspapers. It may be simply part of the general Dublin centric attitude of the Indo and the Times but it seems to be particularly accentuated in articles concerning education. Basically a lot of articles seem only to refer to UCD or Trinity all the time. They seem to forget the other Uni's exist (incl DCU, which would mean the argument is not simply about being Dublin centric) or heaven forbid mention the DIT's or the institutes of Technology or UL.

A good example of this is in the times today.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0205/1233787117503.html

"The NUI is the federal body for four universities, including University College Dublin, and some other colleges."

Some other colleges? - its a body of four universities but I will mention one only?

Not sure if anyone else noticed this kinda thing, but it does make you wonder the narrow mind of the people who work for these publications

The_Minister · 05-02-2009 11:32AM

UCD and TCD are the two oldest and most respected institutions in Ireland.

They are also the most internationally prominant.

dr.bollocko · 05-02-2009 11:33AM

The_Minister wrote: »

UCD and TCD are the two oldest and most respected institutions in Ireland.

They are also the most internationally prominant.

No disrespecting Mr. Minister but I think IT Tralee will have something to say about that.

The_Minister · 05-02-2009 11:35AM

dr.bollocko wrote: »

No disrespecting Mr. Minister but I think IT Tralee will have something to say about that.

IT Tralee thinks a disco ball in an old barn makes a nightclub.

chickenhawk · 05-02-2009 11:51AM

Someone still bitter they didn't get into UCD or Trinity op?

mental07 · 05-02-2009 11:56AM

The_Minister wrote: »

UCD and TCD are the two oldest and most respected institutions in Ireland.

They are also the most internationally prominant.

Doesn't mean the others don't exist.

Caoimhín · 05-02-2009 11:57AM

And rightly so. Trinity is only for Protestants and Westbrits, i am reliably informed that graduates have to swear an oath to the English queen before graduating.

Also, I am the king of Norway.

Quazzie · 05-02-2009 11:59AM

dr.bollocko wrote: »

No disrespecting Mr. Minister but I think IT Tralee will have something to say about that.

If it was called Trallee IT (TIT) then it might

Aldebaran · 05-02-2009 12:10PM

Quazzie2002 wrote: »

If it was called Trallee IT (TIT) then it might

Thanks for putting that in brackets for those of us who didn't go to Trinity or UCD and wouldn't be able to work it out for ourselves.

Quazzie · 05-02-2009 12:13PM

Aldebaran wrote: »

Thanks for putting that in brackets for those of us who didn't go to Trinity or UCD and wouldn't be able to work it out for ourselves.

Hey I gotta cater for everyone

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 12:13PM

The_Minister wrote: »

UCD and TCD are the two oldest and most respected institutions in Ireland.

They are also the most internationally prominant.

I think Maynooth would have something to say about that considering it is older then UCG/UCD/UCC/Queens - 1845 founded.

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 12:15PM

chickenhawk wrote: »

Someone still bitter they didn't get into UCD or Trinity op?

err no! There was a thing called the points system when I went to college. Generally if you could get into one uni you had the points for the others also

chickenhawk · 05-02-2009 12:19PM

dodgyme wrote: »

err no! There was a thing called the points system when I went to college. Generally if you could get into one uni you had the points for the others also

I'll take that as a yes.

Wagon · 05-02-2009 12:30PM

The_Minister wrote: »

UCD and TCD are the two oldest and most respected institutions in Ireland.

They are also the most internationally prominant.

So? Everyone who goes there is still a wanker.

A Primal Nut · 05-02-2009 12:39PM

Agree, and besides UCD and Trinity are only the most respected for pointless subjects like Arts, Philosophy, Psychology, etc:) Well, UCD is also very well respected for one useful thing Business to be fair.

For real courses, like Engineering, ITs are more respected - nobody in my course had a problem getting a job in spite of the economic downturn everyone keeps talking about.

Having said, UCD probably would have been more fun to be a student.

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 12:43PM

Can anyone here actually stick to the question about how things are reported in the papers and bias involved rather than the stupid "you didnt get the points" "My college is the best for what I did" b*llsh*T?

ah forget it!!!!!!!!!! why did I bother sticking this in AH?

mental07 · 05-02-2009 01:15PM

dodgyme wrote: »

Can anyone here actually stick to the question about how things are reported in the papers and bias involved rather than the stupid "you didnt get the points" "My college is the best for what I did" b*llsh*T?

ah forget it!!!!!!!!!! why did I bother sticking this in AH?

Ask one of the mods to move it elsewhere.

The_Minister · 05-02-2009 03:37PM

dodgyme wrote: »

Can anyone here actually stick to the question about how things are reported in the papers and bias involved rather than the stupid "you didnt get the points" "My college is the best for what I did" b*llsh*T?

ah forget it!!!!!!!!!! why did I bother sticking this in AH?

We have a section for News and Media, instead you chose to put it in AH.

Your fault.

phasers · 05-02-2009 04:18PM

(That's where the medical schools are)

Nodin · 05-02-2009 04:24PM

dodgyme wrote: »

ah forget it!!!!!!!!!! why did I bother sticking this in AH?

None of them UCD or Trinity people would have made that mistake.

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 05:09PM

Nodin wrote: »

None of them UCD or Trinity people would have made that mistake.

they dont read boards so it doesnt matter.

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 05:10PM

phasers wrote: »

(That's where the medical schools are)

Whats so important about medical schools? UCG has a medical school, dont understand your point?

Thomas_S_Hunterson · 05-02-2009 05:16PM

dodgyme wrote: »

Can anyone here actually stick to the question about how things are reported in the papers and bias involved rather than the stupid "you didnt get the points" "My college is the best for what I did" b*llsh*T?

ah forget it!!!!!!!!!! why did I bother sticking this in AH?

Look it's because UCD and TCD are the best.

Happy now?

andrew · 05-02-2009 05:16PM

dodgyme wrote: »

they dont read boards so it doesnt matter.

Actually we do, but only to laugh derisively at the uneducated and borderline illiterate masses.

emeraldstar · 05-02-2009 05:17PM

dodgyme wrote: »

This is something I have noticed in the last 20 years in the main Irish newspapers. It may be simply part of the general Dublin centric attitude of the Indo and the Times but it seems to be particularly accentuated in articles concerning education. Basically a lot of articles seem only to refer to UCD or Trinity all the time. They seem to forget the other Uni's exist (incl DCU, which would mean the argument is not simply about being Dublin centric) or heaven forbid mention the DIT's or the institutes of Technology or UL.

Yet the single quote used from anyone actually connected with any of the NUIs is from someone in Cork...

Relax man.

Irish Times wrote:

Fees should not be introduced for any undergraduates, said other candidate Prof James Heffron, of the University College Cork biochemistry department last night.

Mr Heffron said the role of the chancellor should involve promoting the NUI to help source philanthropic funding for the universities.

Retraining was not the function of the universities, he said, adding there were State bodies which were funded for this but which did not have a good track record.

Mark200 · 05-02-2009 05:17PM

TCD and UCD are the two most well known universities in the country, they're the two highest ranked universities in the country, and generally the best research comes out of TCD and UCD

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 05:27PM

Mark200 wrote: »

TCD and UCD are the two most well known universities in the country, they're the two highest ranked universities in the country, and generally the best research comes out of TCD and UCD

i know that ranking bit but I am not talking about that. As for the research I am sure the other uni's would say their research is as good depending on budgets etc. What I am on about is the narrow minded journo's writing general articles on education only referencing UCD or trinity or adding them to the end of sentences for no reason apart from mentioning them?

Mark200 · 05-02-2009 05:43PM

dodgyme wrote: »

i know that ranking bit but I am not talking about that. As for the research I am sure the other uni's would say their research is as good depending on budgets etc. What I am on about is the narrow minded journo's writing general articles on education only referencing UCD or trinity or adding them to the end of sentences for no reason apart from mentioning them?

Other universities can say what they want, it doesn't make it true.

And it's like if someone was writing an article about the economy, would you rather reference the chief economist of America or of Luxembourg?

dodgyme · 05-02-2009 05:52PM

Mark200 wrote: »

Other universities can say what they want, it doesn't make it true.

And it's like if someone was writing an article about the economy, would you rather reference the chief economist of America or of Luxembourg?

no its not like that its just plain ignorance and narrow mindedness to talk about the uni sector in a way the seems to exclude other uni's just because of centralised access to the the national media by journalist who probably went to Trinity or UCD.

Its the same narrow minded attitude that induces these two colleges to have a boat race and pretend rather badly to be a paddy version of the oxbridge boat race.

themont85 · 05-02-2009 05:55PM

dodgyme wrote: »

i know that ranking bit but I am not talking about that. As for the research I am sure the other uni's would say their research is as good depending on budgets etc. What I am on about is the narrow minded journo's writing general articles on education only referencing UCD or trinity or adding them to the end of sentences for no reason apart from mentioning them?

UCD is the biggest 3rd level college in Ireland, one of the oldest, has a good rank plus reputation and is one of the most recognisable worldwide. Ditto for Trinners cept smaller but older and more prestigous(in some people's eyes). Its a huge chip on your shoulder thing which is unnecessary. For instance if you were to describe the EU to a person from the US for example in a US newspaper like in such a situation with NUI as you quoted, it wouldn't be unusual for them to say 'The EU, including Britan, France and Germany'. They are bigger and more recognisable to outsiders. It doesn't mean they're better just that they have size and history which make them stand out to a person not entirely informed.

THe ITs and other Uni's are hardly ignored, there is always articles about them in newspapers ect.

What annoyed me when I was in College was the chip on their shoulder stuff which some mates in school had about Trinity/UCD just because they went to DIT for example. They were always pointing out how much better DIT actually was then the aforementioned two, it got really annoying after a while. Nobody minds a bit of craic but some took it OTT. I'd say the same about a small number of people in Trinity where I went who went there for 'prestige value' and looked down to an extent on other institutions.

reggiethefirst · 05-02-2009 05:59PM

phasers wrote: »

(That's where the medical schools are)

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland > Trinity and UCD

General Bias towards UCD/Trinity in Educational Reporting in daily newspapers.

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