Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 4 Dec 2002

Vol. 558 No. 5

Written Answers. - Third Level Education.

David Stanton

Question:

281 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the funding which is available to support art and creative colleges to develop research and development specialists in digital content creation and design; his forthcoming plans in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25161/02]

David Stanton

Question:

282 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to encourage and support the development of digital media management courses to meet the skills required for digital content enterprise, in project management, finance and international sales and marketing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25163/02]

David Stanton

Question:

283 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science his plans to incorporate in computer science based programmes, as appropriate, a creative component on the curricula; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25164/02]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 281 to 283, inclusive, together.

The Digital Hub is an initiative of the Irish Government to create an international digital enterprise area in Dublin city. Through the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources, €130 million of public funds has already been committed for The Digital Hub and for Media Lab Europe (MLE), a third-level research and education centre already located in The Digital Hub.

A fund for collaborative research between Irish third-level institutions and Media Lab Europe was established in 2000. The objective of the fund is to encourage academic staff and researchers in Irish third level institutions to develop joint research projects with Media Lab Europe. Co-operation between researchers from more than one Irish institution is encouraged.

In particular, the objectives of the fund are as follows: to assist and facilitate quality interdisciplinary research in media, materials, and methods; to contribute to the development of media, materials, and methods research in Irish third level Institutions and Media Lab Europe; to promote and foster collaboration between academic institutions and Media Lab Europe and, by extension, MIT Media Lab.

This scheme is administered by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of the Department of Communications, Marine and Natural Resources. To date, €3.81 million has been allocated to third level institutions.

In addition, it is proposed that the Digital Hub Development Agency will develop a strategy for educational provision, particularly for digital arts and technology, including links with third level institutions engaged in digital content projects.

ICT and digital-related industry is a high-skills, high-tech area requiring a strong graduate skills base. The third level sector has greatly expanded the number and type of these courses available to students at both sub-degree and post-degree level in recent years in order to meet the identified skills needs of industry. The issue of the supply of these type of courses was originally examined by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs in the single issue report on e-Business Skills published in August 2000.

The Forfás report that the Deputy refers to entitled ‘A Strategy for the Digital Content Industry in Ireland' was published on 5 November 2002. This report makes a number of important recommendations on the skills profile that will be required by the digital content industry sector. On education and training, the report recommends that a detailed audit of skills requirements for the digital content industry should be conducted by the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs. I will await the recommendations of the expert group in this regard and I understand that this audit is planned for completion by the group by mid-2003. The Deputy will appreciate that the issue of curriculum content at third level is a matter for course directors in individual institutions in the first instance. The recommendations of the report will inform policy discussions between my Department, the Higher Education Authority, the institutes of technology and other relevant institutions in this regard.