Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 Jan 1997

Vol. 473 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Dublin Institute of Technology.

Mr. Lawlor

On 12 December the Minister for Education gave a commitment which was widely welcomed that the Dublin Institute of Technology would be granted degree awarding powers. She stated:

If, in the future, movement to university status enhances the mission of the Dublin Institute of Technology, I am pleased that section 9 of the Universities Bill provides an appropriate mechanism.

The Minister said this which is in contrast with the statement in The Irish Times by the institute's staff where a spokesperson for the Dublin Institute of Technology Academic Staff Association expressed outrage at reports that the Dublin Institute of Technology would not be able, after all, to award its own degrees in its own right. According to that report the Minister gave the Dublin Institute of Technology the powers to award its own degrees. The Academic Staff Association's statement followed the recommendation from the National Certification Authority that in future TEASTAS should approve the review and audit of Dublin Institute of Technology's degree awarding process.

Perhaps the Minister can clarify the situation. If I received over 100 submissions from students and teachers associated with Dublin Institute of Technology, I am sure the Minister probably received thousands. Will the Minister give effect to the statement of 12 December or is there a potential impediment? Does the recommendation have conditions attached? Will the Minister accept the Higher Education Authority review team report which specifically recommended that the Dublin Institute of Technology should be allowed proceed to the full potential and concept of university status?

I do not mean university status in the way the Minister appears to have referred to it in a number of statements. On Committee Stage of the Universities Bill, she said it saddened her that some people put so much store by the title of "university" while MIT, a world renowned organisation, does not have the word university attached. This misses the point. MIT is a university under its own charter of 1861 and operates under a framework which gives it an autonomy traditionally associated with universities. To compare Dublin Institute of Technology with MIT is flattering but totally unrealistic since the latter has an endowment of $1.3 million and spends in excess of $300 million per annum on research.

I hope the Minister can clarify the situation so there is no impediment to the Dublin Institute of Technology awarding degrees and that it is left to its own capable devices. As the largest third level institution in the State, it is very capable and over the years has proven its capacity and ability. There is a compelling case for upgrading. I met the Minister in my constituency during the summer recess and I know her recognition of the technical aspects of various subjects is important. There is an element of confusion that the request for university status is interlinked to the technological sector. However, the university capability of the Dublin Institute of Technology in having the capacity to award degrees is of vital importance. I hope the Minister can clarify what appears to have muddied the distinction between the announcement of 12 December 1996 and the fact that it can be subject to review and scrutiny before the Dublin Institute of Technology can award degrees.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

The Dublin Institute of Technology is growing as a distinct and distinguished institution in its own right. Building on its legislative base, put in place in 1993, it has made major strides with the active support of the Department of Education. I congratulate the Dublin Institute of Technology on the progress it has made since 1992 in building a single integrated institute. The Dublin Institute of Technology has a vital role in higher education in providing courses at certificate, diploma, degree and post-graduate levels.

An international review team was established by the Higher Education Authority to recommend whether degree awarding powers should be given to the Dublin Institute of Technology. The Higher Education Authority has received the report of the review team and has sent it to the Department of Education.

The review group recommended that the Dublin Institute of Technology be granted authority to award its own degrees in respect of undergraduate and post-graduate courses, with effect from the academic year 1998-99; the funding and oversight of the Dublin Institute of Technology be transferred from the Department of Education to the Higher Education Authority as soon as possible; the relevant authorities should consider whether the key features of the university legislation should be extended to the Dublin Institute of Technology and its legislation be amended in the light of such analysis; the system of quality assurance and quality improvement in the Dublin Institute of Technology should be subject to periodic review and the Dublin Institute of Technology should ensure that its organisational structures and processes are firmly in place and operating effectively. The successful completion of the review group process on degree awarding status is another step in the history of the Dublin Institute of Technology.

I have already indicated that I intend to make an order to confer degree awarding powers on the Dublin Institute of Technology from the 1998-99 academic year as recommended by the report of a review team. The relevant order is subject to the provisions of the Dublin Institute of Technology Act, 1992. The White Paper on Education, "Charting our Education Future", published in April 1995, outlines Government policy for the funding and oversight of the Dublin Institute of Technology. I recognise that the international review team has endorsed this policy that the funding and oversight of the Dublin Institute of Technology be transferred from the Department of Education to the Higher Education Authority. An implementation group will begin work shortly on the transfer of the regional technical college/DIT sector to the Higher Education Authority. Amending legislation will also be necessary. The institute is in the process of implementing a number of recommendations arising out of this review.

With regard to the proposal that the Dublin Institute of Technology should be considered in the context of the Universities Bill, I am sure the Deputy is aware that this issue has been the subject of detailed consideration by the Select Committee on Social Affairs and that a majority of the committee does not support the inclusion of the Dublin Institute of Technology in the Bill.

Section 9 of the Universities Bill will provide a mechanism by which an institution can attain university status. This is the first time that a formal mechanism by which an institution may become a university is being placed on a statutory basis. If, in the future, moving to university status enhances the mission of the Dublin Institute of Technology, section 9 of the Universities Bill provides an appropriate mechanism.