Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 20 May 2003

Vol. 567 No. 1

Written Answers. - Institutes of Technology.

John Deasy

Ceist:

241 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will implement the findings of the report on higher education by a person (details supplied) to give Dublin Institute of Technology and Waterford Institute of Technology university status; and the cost of upgrading the Waterford Institute of Technology. [13500/03]

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

The report to which the Deputy refers was commissioned by Dublin Institute of Technology with financial support from Atlantic Philanthropies. I received a copy in the past week and I will consider it in due course.

The issue of university status for Dublin Institute of Technology is not new. In June 1997 the Government decided to appoint a review group under section 9 of the Universities Act 1997. The group was established to advise the Higher Education Authority on whether, having regard to the objects and functions of a university under sections 12 and 13, Dublin Institute of Technology should be established as a university.

The group's report, chaired by Dr. Dermot Nally, was published in November 1998. The group recommended that there should not be immediate university status for Dublin Institute of Technology. However, the group recommended that the institute might become a university within a three to five year period subject to it meeting a number of criteria set out in the report.

In March 1999 the HEA, following detailed consideration and analysis of the advice prepared by the review group, recommended against the immediate establishment of the Dublin Institute of Technology as a university. It indicated that a further statutory review of the institute, in line with section 9 of the Universities Act, would be necessary for university status. This can only arise should Dublin Institute of Technology, at some future date, apply for university status and should the Government decide that the application be considered.

Waterford Institute of Technology has no plans to change its status. My Department continues to work with the institute on its development and upgrading.

In July 1996 the Government approved, in principle, the recommendations in the report of the steering committee on the future development of higher education, as a benchmark for future planning in the sector. The committee concluded that an upgrading and expansion of Waterford regional college, now WIT, represented the most appropriate response to the higher education needs of the southeast region. The committee's report also recommended an increase in student places, an increase in degree level awards and a change of title. It was also recommended that the major focus of expansion should be at degree level. It stated that such provision would place the college at the top end of the spectrum in terms of provision of degree places and would enable the region to reach the national average participation rate in degree programmes.

The Government accepted these recommendations. The provision, in both the total number of places and in degree level courses, in WIT has been expanded annually and incrementally in line with available resources. Figures supplied to my Department by the institute indicate that almost 40% of students enrolled on full-time certificate, diploma, degree and postgraduate courses are enrolled on courses at degree and postgraduate levels. These measures, combined with the change of title of the college provide the necessary status and capacity for the institute to meet the identified higher education needs of the region over the coming years. Consistent with this approach, WIT is among the first institute of technology to be given authority to make its own educational awards under the terms of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Act 1999.