Written Answers. - Higher Education Review.
Joan Burton
Ceist:
30
Ms Burton
asked the
Minister for Education and Science
the terms of reference of the recently announced review of Irish education commissioned from the OECD; when it is expected that the review will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
[21500/03]
I have invited the OECD to carry out a review of higher education in Ireland. The context for the review is provided by Ireland's strategic objective of placing its higher education system in the top rank of the OECD in terms of both quality and levels of participation and by the priority to create a world class research, development and innovation capacity and infrastructure in Ireland as part of the wider EU objective for becoming the world's most competitive and dynamic knowledge-based economy and society, as agreed in Lisbon in 2000. The challenges of maintaining quality, responsiveness and competitiveness in higher education are a major priority against the background of unprecedented levels of expansion, change and diversification in the sector in Ireland.
The OECD review will evaluate how well the Irish higher education sector is meeting these strategic objectives and will offer recommendations for making further progress. The review will examine the role of higher education institutions as centres of education, knowledge and research in respect of their public, social and economic responsibilities and will consider the interface between the higher and further education sectors in meeting these overall needs. The capacity of the higher education sector for promoting lifelong learning, the transition to the knowledge society, knowledge and technology transfer to the economy and society, supporting spatial strategy, and in meeting the international challenges to learning and research institutions will be key aspects of the review. The comparative Irish performance will be examined by reference to other OECD countries.
More specifically, the review will examine policy issues and options in the following areas. In regard to the role of higher education, the review will examine the need to ensure that the higher education sector can fulfil the transcending roles of developing students to their full potential and pursuing knowledge for its own sake while being open and flexible in meeting an increasing diversity of needs and demands associated with the knowledge society, lifelong learning, globalisation, meeting the needs of national and regional economies and of local communities, together with contributing to social cohesion and equity.
In regard to strategic management and structure, the review will examine structures and arrangements for dynamic overall strategic planning and management of the higher education sector having regard to the need: for an integrated and cohesive approach to the development of the roles of different higher education institutions and between those institutions and further education providers; to provide for systematic and sustained input to the formulation and review of the main areas of higher education and research policy and planning by the key agencies and interests in interconnected areas of economic, social and cultural developments; and for effective approaches to delivering on key strategies, including promotion of equity of access, enhancing the quality of teaching and learning, meeting future skills and research needs for economic and social development, and the development of greater procedural, systemic and institutional transparency in higher education.
In regard to teaching and learning, the review will examine how institutions in the higher education sector might best respond to the needs of their students through the use of appropriate systems of quality assurance to support the highest quality of teaching and learning, facilitating greater levels of participation and completion and developing new and innovative approaches for a more learner-centred approach to the design and delivery of academic and other services.
In regard to research and development, given the increasing importance of research, development and innovation for the knowledge society, the review will examine how research and development in the higher education sector can best be supported and further developed to highest international standards and the outcomes of this knowledge be best applied in support of social, cultural and economic progress having regard to the integral connection between research and teaching and the development of an appropriate balance between these in institutions.
In regard to investment and financing, the review will examine how potential approaches to the future resourcing of the higher education sector and institutions that can best enable achievement of the strategic objectives established for the sector, having regard to the governance, accountability, efficiency and effectiveness requirements associated with the high level of public investment in the sector, broad public pol icy interests and principles of academic freedom and institutional autonomy.
In regard to international competitiveness, in the context of growing internationalisation and mobility of students and the need to provide a diversified and world class higher education system at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, the review will examine how a critical mass of consistently high quality and standards can be developed having regard to the promotion of greater inter-institutional collaboration within a competitive national and international environment. It is anticipated that the report will be completed by the middle of next year.
