Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 December 2020
328. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which he expects third and fourth-level courses to cater for the needs of students or postgraduates in the area of research with particular reference to the future requirements of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42831/20]
View answer330. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the means by which innovative education at third or fourth-level can be expected to meet the challenges of the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42833/20]
View answer331. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the role he sees for advancement in science in the technical and academic areas in the future with particular reference to identifying the need for a balanced third and fourth-level educational sector in line with the likely requirements of employment in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42834/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 328, 330 and 331 together.
Innovation 2020, the current national strategy for research and development, science and technology, acknowledges the importance of the pipeline of skilled and talented individuals playing a critical factor in innovation. From pre-primary through to further and higher education and throughout an individual’s career, skills and knowledge need to be continuously enhanced if individuals, employers and countries are to realise their potential.
The expansion of higher education has been a key enabling factor in the growth of the Irish economy over the past four decades. The availability and quality of graduates is essential if we are to maintain our attractiveness as a location for investment and grow our reputation as a destination for a successful research career. Equally, increased participation in higher education has resulted in significant contributions to society and has played a critical role in enriching our cultural life.
Postgraduate education delivered by higher education institutions is critical to Ireland’s research system. In addition to contributing to knowledge, postgraduate researcher education drives participants to develop their own research and innovation skills that can be applied in a range of environments, in academia or industry, at home or abroad.
Our society and the world of work are changing rapidly, and if anything, this will be accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Higher Education Institutions will have an important role in equipping us to manage this change. This will entail agility and innovation in how universities operate. The HEIs across the country responded to this challenge – providing support staff, equipment, delivering PPE, undertaking research into COVID-19, engaging our citizens through the media as experts and much more. The higher education sector was able to maintain teaching and learning in radically challenging circumstances and also demonstrated the flexibility to meet urgent needs, including the additional university places required following the Leaving Certificate. What this crisis has shown us is the importance of having talent and skills to support our society and economy deal with the challenges we face.
Challenge-led innovation is an increasingly important concept. Stimulating solutions driven collaboration will foster interdisciplinary consortia of enterprises, HEIs and public service delivery bodies to address major societal challenges. Interdisciplinary research is key to addressing such challenges, and incorporating the ‘human factor’ is also vital. Societal challenges are typically highly complex, and the engagement of researchers from both Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths can often generate more innovative solutions and new ways of approaching and thinking about problems.
The establishment of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science will mean that, in addition to public funding for higher and further education, well over 50% of national public research funding will be under its auspices. This is a great opportunity to bring further cohesion and balance to teaching and research across the further and higher education institutions to ensure that Ireland has the talent and skills to match the changing employment landscape and to keep pace with the advancement of science and build on our position as we aspire to become a global innovation leader.
Innovation 2020 is due to conclude at the end of this year. The Mid-Term review of Innovation 2020 published last year reaffirmed the relevance of the policy objectives of Innovation 2020, including the need to increase investment in research infrastructure and research talent. As part of the consultation process for the successor strategy, which will be developed by my new department, I will work with enterprise agencies and industry groups, as well as the higher education institutes, to manage the future demand for research graduates to ensure we are prepared for the challenges we will face.
