Dan Boyle
Ceist:237 Mr. Boyle asked the Minister for Education and Science the guidelines which exist regarding informing HETAC course participants when and if the next modular stage of their course is being proceeded with. [14250/03]
Written Answers. - Institutes of Technology.
In accordance with the provisions of the Regional Technical Colleges Acts, institutes of technology must submit for my approval on an annual basis a proposed operational programme including proposals for new courses. Approval was granted to Cork Institute of Technology to run the national diploma course in question in the current academic year. Approval was not sought by Cork Institute of Technology in its operational programme submission this year for a follow-on degree in humanities, community education and development.
I understand that no such course was listed in the institute's prospectus for the 2003-2004 academic year which was published last September. Should the institute decide in future to seek approval to run such a degree course, it must secure HETAC validation of the proposed course in the first instance.