Irish university governance in transition

Abstract Governance structures in Irish universities are undergoing a significant transformation as the passing of new legislation in October 2022, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) Act, heralded the beginning of a new relationship between the Irish state, the universities and their regulator, the HEA. This paper provides an analysis of the changes taking place in university governance with the implementation of the HEA Act and locates the current developments in the context of wider governance reforms that have taken place across European higher education. The findings of an empirical research study involving elite interviews with key stakeholders in Irish higher education governance are also presented; the results capture the early experience of implementing governance reform, with key stakeholders agreeing that smaller supervisory boards result in better governance, more rigour in the way board members approach their roles, and greater accountability required of executives, which is expected to lead to greater tension between boards and their executives. The paper concludes by identifying opportunities for further research with a follow-up study of the impact of the governance reforms on board effectiveness proposed once the new governing boards have served a full term.