Dublin no events posted in last week
The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović Anti-Empire >>
A bird's eye view of the vineyard
Alternative Copy of thesaker.is site is available Thu May 25, 2023 14:38 | Ice-Saker-V6bKu3nz Alternative site: https://thesaker.si/saker-a... Site was created using the downloads provided Regards Herb
The Saker blog is now frozen Tue Feb 28, 2023 23:55 | The Saker Dear friends As I have previously announced, we are now “freezing” the blog. We are also making archives of the blog available for free download in various formats (see below).
What do you make of the Russia and China Partnership? Tue Feb 28, 2023 16:26 | The Saker by Mr. Allen for the Saker blog Over the last few years, we hear leaders from both Russia and China pronouncing that they have formed a relationship where there are
Moveable Feast Cafe 2023/02/27 ? Open Thread Mon Feb 27, 2023 19:00 | cafe-uploader 2023/02/27 19:00:02Welcome to the ‘Moveable Feast Cafe’. The ‘Moveable Feast’ is an open thread where readers can post wide ranging observations, articles, rants, off topic and have animate discussions of
The stage is set for Hybrid World War III Mon Feb 27, 2023 15:50 | The Saker Pepe Escobar for the Saker blog A powerful feeling rhythms your skin and drums up your soul as you?re immersed in a long walk under persistent snow flurries, pinpointed by The Saker >>
Interested in maladministration. Estd. 2005
RTEs Sarah McInerney ? Fianna Fail supporter? Anthony
Joe Duffy is dishonest and untrustworthy Anthony
Robert Watt complaint: Time for decision by SIPO Anthony
RTE in breach of its own editorial principles Anthony
Waiting for SIPO Anthony Public Inquiry >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy Human Rights in Ireland >>
|
Eden College: Why the 'visa mill' jibes belittle students as the real losers
dublin |
rights, freedoms and repression |
opinion/analysis
Tuesday April 29, 2014 22:53 by Dave Moore - Irish Council for International Students (ICOS)
![Report this post to the editors Report this post to the editors](../graphics/report.gif)
OPINION PIECE
Eden College, one of Ireland's biggest private colleges and which until recently trumpeted former Minister for Education Batt O'Keefe as its President, abruptly shut up shop at the end of last week, laying off its staff. ICOS has been busy dealing with the fall-out.
![Click on image to see full-sized version Scenes of confusion at Eden College on Burgh Quay, Dublin](../cache/imagecache/local/attachments/apr2014/460_0___30_0_0_0_0_0_edencollegeconfusion.jpg) Scenes of confusion at Eden College on Burgh Quay, Dublin The Sunday Times broke the news over the weekend but, as of yesterday morning, most of those enrolled at Eden College would have had no idea it had ceased operating. They arrived in a steady flow, growing to hundreds, with the situation becoming more confused and uncertain as the morning progressed. There was no-one there acting as the public face of the college to make an announcement, no posters to explain the situation. The seat behind reception remained empty – this despite the college website now saying that students should report there to learn of supposed new 'arrangements’.
On the ground at Eden College from early morning, ICOS was deluged by students’ concerns and questions. We spent the day doing our best to offer support and collecting contact details for follow-up. There were students with exams due the following week anxious to know what would become of them; students with place offers at universities depending on passing courses that had just disappeared; students fearful that two years of studies had just gone down the drain; students with receipts for thousands of euro paid over to the college that they had little hope of ever seeing again.
From the comments of many, their impression of Ireland was in tatters. They were amazed that the owners could just walk away from it all, with the Irish authorities apparently nowhere in sight.
Whilst this sentiment may get some echo in the blogosphere, the voices of the affected students are largely absent. Instead, the scandal surrounding those running Eden College (well exposed by The Sunday Times) has been extended by some commentators to the 1,200 who were on its books as learners. On their accounts, the college was nothing more than a ‘visa mill’, providing economic migrants with the cover of a student visa. This is to belittle and diminish the experience of hundreds of students who deserved far better than the shabby way the Eden College saga has played out.
Let’s rewind to December. Eden College had government ACELS accreditation and membership of the MEI agency of language schools. It ran from impressive, high-profile premises beside the Liffey and carried a former Education Minister’s stamp of approval. Few private colleges in Ireland could have looked more credible to a would-be student based thousands of miles away. The fact that it is now in disgrace poses many searching questions yet to be answered. Student-blaming provides nothing but distraction.
Right now, there is a vast amount of work to be done to address the individual situations of so many displaced learners. As news of Eden College filters back home to Brazil, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Korea and a host of other countries, there will undoubtedly be a great deal more work needed to repair Ireland’s battered international image.
|