Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 March 2004
284 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science the way in which his Department promotes and supports high quality teaching, education and research at university and college of technology level; the funding specifically available in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10056/04]
View answerQuality assurance in teaching, education and research is one of the primary concerns of my Department. In terms of teaching and education, my Department funds a targeted initiative, "support for teaching", for the university sector through the Higher Education Authority and supports programmes under the quality assurance NDP sub-measure for all third level institututions.
Support for teaching targeted initiative funding is directed towards strategic activities underpinning the importance of teaching and learning as a core part of institutional activity. In recent years funding has been provided for proposals from the universities which identify excellence in teaching, reward excellence in teaching and plan for the development of teaching strategies at institutional, inter-institutional and subject level. Proposals which show evidence of support for strategic activities that demonstrate the importance of teaching have also been funded. Funding of 70% of the cost of each successful proposal is provided and €809,000 was allocated to the universities in 2003 for this purpose.
The "training of trainers" programme is also operational in the university sector. Annual funding of just over €1 million is allocated to the universities overall to implement this programme. The institutes of technology receive overall funding of €2.5 million annually from the staff development programme. Both of these programmes are supported from within the quality assurance sub-measure of the employment and human resources development operational programme of the NDP and total provision over the duration of the plan amounts to €31.29 million. The stated aim of these programmes is to promote a quality culture across the range of activities in third level institutions, to promote greater transparency and accountability and to improve pedagogical training, teaching evaluation and appraisal and the development of management skills. A review of the training of trainers programme is currently being undertaken by the Higher Education Authority.
An established priority for this Government, in line with a wider EU strategy agreed under the Lisbon agenda, is the creation of a world class research, development and innovation capacity and infrastructure. In view of this, my Department is supporting a range of research activities, including funding for the programme for research in third level institutions. In November 2003, capital funding for cycle three of this programme was confirmed.
My Department's total overall higher education research and development funding provision for 2004 amounts to €83 million, including capital and current expenditure. To date 800 researchers have been funded under the PRTLI. This enhancement of the quantity and quality of trained researchers is providing vital skilled resources to the Irish innovation system.
