The Saor-Ollscoil concept of Education is one of fitting people to their Environment so that they may live wisely in relation to it. It is the function of any University to study the human environment, to conduct research into it, to hand on the results of its research for the benefit of all who wish to live wisely.
The Saor-Ollscoil caters for that proportion of the Irish Adult population capable of profiting by study in a creative non-rigid, credit system structure, leading to a Degree.
The Saor-Ollscoil or Free University, is primarily a corporate society and the life of a society can be carried on in one place or in several places or in no place at all. It is a society open to all over the age of twenty years, with no exclusive academic entrance qualifications other than being able to read and write and have a discernible interest in their own further educational development. Within the society there is an integration of social classes, professional and occupational interests and international cultures and outside there are links with ordinary men and women following their usual vocations in all walks of life.
Learning belongs to everybody, learning should not be the prerogative of only those who can pay or who can attend at a certain time or in a certain place.
Learning is a two way process, those who want to give and those who want to receive. This process can be one between teacher and student or indeed a process of transfer of learning from student to student or by the student's own indepth research. Nor should learning be bound by rigid structures but should be creative, open-ended, a free flowing development.
The philosopher, Socrates, who for many represents the Father of Rational Thought, never earned a fee for his educational discourses. He never charged a fee to those who listened to him as he sat about Athens and he talked. Socrates was interested in the development of the whole man not in only practical wisdom as the Sophists, who charged highly for their wisdom.
The Saor-Ollscoil bases itself on the Socratic model, both in charging 'no fee for learning' as well as the emphasis on the acquisition of rational thought rather than narrow vocational skills already catered for adequately by society. Saor-Ollscoil in line with the old idea of universities fosters the coming together of minds to share and develop knowledge for its own sake and the personal development of those involved.
Kevin Byrne,
Founder member and former Chancellor,
Saor-Ollscoil na hÉireann.
Léann nó foghlaim, seo eochair na saoirse, fíorshaoirse. An fhíorshaoirse sin a thugann deis do chuile dhuine iad féin a fhorbairt agus a chur in iúl ar a mbealach chruthaíoch féin. Beidh sé seo fíor thábhachtach don duine sa todhchaí. Tá sé tábhachtach acmhainn an duine agus an cumas chun tionscnaimh a spreagadh agus a fhuascailt le go mbeidh an duine in ann na tréithe seo a úsáid chun a leasa féin agus do leas na tíre.
Tá córas nó structúr oscailte ins an'Saor-Ollscoil'. Córas a bhéas mar áis don mhac léinn agus don fhoireann agus ní ina mháistir orthu. Ní mar a chéile a fhoglaimíonn chuile dhuine agus ní mar a chéile a fhreagraíonn chuile dhuine dúshlán an léinn.Tá an córas ins an 'Saor-Ollscoil' mar thaca agus mar chúnamh dóibh siúd atá i mbun an léinn.Tá an córas bunaithe ar 'aonad léinn' agus tá aitheantas ag dul do chuile aonad. Tá na léachtanna ann mar spreagadh do lucht léinn a gcuid féin a dhéanamh den ábhar agus forbairt a dhéanamh air. De thoradh an chórais seo tá aitheantas ag dul don chruthaíocht agus don fhéiniúlacht, tréithe atá ceilte orainn i ré seo an dorchadais - ré na hoiliúna. Cruthaíocht agus féiniúlacht, is tréithe iad seo a chabhrós linn sa todhchaí i ré na teicneolaíochta agus i ré an eolais ach an t-aitheantas ceart a thabhairt dóibh. Tá an bhéim ar an oideachas agus ar an bhfoghlaim ins an 'Saor-Ollscoil' toisc gurb iad seo na bunchlocha. Ní féidir tógáil gan iad.
Is féidir oiliúint a chur ar dhuine nó scil a thabhairt dó taobh istigh de chúig lá, de chúig mhí nó de bhliain.Ach is rud leanúnach forbarthach an t-oideachas. 'Sé an duine féin a théann i mbun gnótha maidir le h-oideachas de. Níl le déanamh ag lucht na hInstitiúide ach treoir a chur ar fáil ag freagairt do riachtanaisí na mac léinn. Nuair atá oideachas ar dhuine tá an bhunchloch ina háit.Is féidir leanacht leis an dtógáil agus scileanna éagsúla a mhúineadh leis an oideachas seo a fhorbairt nó le dearcadh eile a fháil air nó le tabhairt faoi réimse nua eolais ar fad.
'Sé an dúshlán atá ann don 'Saor-Ollscoil' ná freastal ar phobal an oileáin seo leis na hacmhainn phearsanta chruthaíocha atá iontu a fhuascailt agus a threorú ar bhealach an léinn le go gcuirfear ag feidhmiú iad leis an tír iomlán a thabhairt ar aghaidh sa 21ú haois 'na máistir uirthi féin san Eoraip agus ar an domhan seo, ó thaobh smaoinimh de.
Mairéad Ní Chíosóig,
Cláraitheoir,
Saor-Ollscoil na hÉireann
