Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021
461. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the extent to which the number of graduates specialising in innovation, research and the sciences is likely to increase on an annual basis in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59060/21]
View answerFrom 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.
I and my Department are determined to be the drivers of a vibrant sector which produces individuals who are equipped with the skills that they need to progress in the way that they want to, and in a way that meets the needs of our evolving economy and contributes to an inclusive society. Not only will these individuals be equipped with expertise in research and innovation but I am also determined that the sector will continue to embrace and embed innovation in how it delivers and operates.
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 skills that can be applied in a range of environments, in academia, in public service or industry, at home or abroad.
Figures from the HEA show that first year enrolments of postgraduate researchers (that is Research Masters and PhD students) have increased by 828 from 2,765 in the 2019/20 academic year to 3,142 in the 2020/21 academic year. This means that we have exceeded the Innovation 2020 targeted increase of 500 enrolments from the 2013/14 baseline (Action 3.5).
Overall, the number of postgraduate students enrolled in our HEIs has increased by 17% in both STEM and AHSS since 2014/15. As a result, we can expect a higher number of graduates in the coming years.
It is imperative that we continue to develop a pipeline of research talent if Ireland is to realise its ambitions under the new Programme for Government and the National Development Plan, and my officials are exploring this as part of the development of the next National Research and Innovation Strategy currently underway at my department.
