On behalf of the IUA, I welcome the opportunity to address the committee on these matters. On the possible reform of the third level entrance system and the leaving certificate, our submission contains the text of a report prepared by a multidisciplinary working group for the IUA council on this topic. The group included representation from the universities, Dublin Institute of Technology, IBEC, the ESRI and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals, NAPD. The report was presented at the recent joint NCCA-HEA conference on transition. Central to the report, and consistent with the discussion at the conference, is the need for reform of second level - the leaving certificate examination in particular - and of the third level admissions system to co-evolve.
What emerged at the conference and in our report is a strong sense that the structure of the leaving certificate exam and its marking system is driving teaching and learning behaviours at second level in a negative way. However, there are also concerns about the so-called backwash effect of the points system on second level. In that regard, our working group developed an extensive set of options for change and situated these on a line of connectedness to the leaving certificate. I will not go through all of these in the time available but will mention some key categories that are expanded upon in the report. The categories include supplementary tests and portfolios, etc., less granularity in points and the use of random selection, and threshold entry systems coupled with broader first year curricula, with specialisation moving to the second year of university. The universities are now in a process of exploring these options more thoroughly and testing their feasibility. We would be happy to discuss these matters in more detail with the committee.
I will now address the matter of the skills match between industry needs and graduates. I will cover the spectrum of university graduates from NFQ levels 8 to 10, from honours bachelor degree to PhD. The fundamental purpose of a university education has not changed in the sense that it is a preparation for life. University education aims to develop rounded individuals who have domain-specific knowledge that is complemented by broader skills such as critical thinking, teamworking and communication. Critically, we aim to inculcate in students an aspiration towards the achievement of excellence. This is the vital core quality employers seek of our graduates.
University education also aims to produce people with the skills to be lifelong learners - the most important learning of all, according to renowned educationalist John Dewey. This has become ever more critical because the pace of change is continually accelerating and, as a result, the pace at which today's industry skills needs become obsolete is quickening all the time. Therefore, it is essential we have people who are strong in their discipline but also widely skilled and capable of adapting to new learning and employment opportunities as the specific needs of the labour market evolve.
In terms of the composition of provision of university education, health and professional degrees such as law and accounting, but also including engineering, make up a large proportion of third level enrolments. There is a direct connection between the syllabus in these areas and the requirements of professional regulatory bodies. However, even outside these specific areas there is a high level of interaction between the universities and enterprise in informing curriculum development. Our background material provides examples of this. Greater emphasis is being placed on the broad attributes of graduates, with DCU's Generation 21 initiative being a good example of this. We also include in our submission details of UCC's overall approach to skills development, with reference to the important area of study abroad.
In terms of the structure of the curriculum, modularisation has been a key development. In this context, modularisation has two important effects. First, it allows for greater multidisciplinarity. UCD's Horizons programme is a specific example of this but the approach is widespread across the sector. The aim is to produce more rounded graduates by allowing students to move, in ways that suit each learner's own interests and ambitions, beyond the specific disciplinary focus of the degree. Second, it allows a more mobile curriculum where modules can be and are frequently updated, in many cases annually, to reflect changes in knowledge arising from research or developments in industry. Employability skills are significantly enhanced by providing opportunities for placements in industry and for community engagement by students. Such placements and engagement are a prominent and growing feature of university education. We have included some examples of NUIG's approach to engagement in our submission, while Professor Scott can talk about DCU's INTRA programme.
Research activity is having an increasing influence on university education. At fourth level, Ireland has become a leader in the area of structured PhDs, which are situated within graduate schools, and aims to maintain the core of the research-based PhD but supplement it with other skills relevant to employability in the wider economy. This is important because the whole strategy for science technology and innovation is predicated not purely on producing PhDs for academia but also for industry. The principles behind our structured PhDs are reflected in the principles of innovative doctoral training included in the new EU strategy entitled Supporting Jobs and Growth - an agenda for the modernisation of Europe's higher education systems.
Research is also a source of spin-offs from universities, leading to companies that come directly out of university research activity. In this way, research directly provides the skills for new employment creation. The expansion of research has also greatly strengthened the overall ethos and relationship between industry and the universities in the sense that collaborative programmes such as the SFI centres for science, technology and innovation and the Enterprise Ireland innovation partnerships have deepened our understanding of industry needs. Universities are also taking initiatives to promote entrepreneurship, for example, Trinity College and UCD's shared innovation academy and UCC's ignite programme.
To deepen our interaction with enterprise, the IUA has established a new university-industry round table. This will be a regular forum involving the university presidents and CEOs of leading Irish companies. The first session of the round table takes place tomorrow morning and it is intended there will regular interaction thereafter. At the session, we will discuss issues relating to the learning environment and the broader environment within which universities operate.
To conclude, I would like to mention the work undertaken by the expert skills group. The group undertakes studies and makes recommendations relating to specific sectoral skills issues and also undertakes a valuable role in providing intelligence on overall skills gaps in the economy. I have added to our submission some detailed information on skills gaps at a sectoral level. Some important points emerge from that data. First, the sectors showing vacancies are predominantly the high-tech sectors. Second, with the exception of the ICT industry, the level of vacancies is low.
This reflects the state of the economy. However, given that the export sector is performing strongly in GDP terms, this suggests that by and large skills needs are being met. This conclusion is consistent with external assessments such as that of ECOFIN and employer surveys underpinning the university rankings. Despite the fact that some universities fell in the recent rankings, the employer feedback element held up remarkably well and improved in some cases.
However, as well as responding to immediate skills shortages, we also need to look to the future and to play to our strengths not only in the technology area but also in the areas of arts and culture, which have significant economic potential. Indeed, emerging evidence on competitiveness suggests that the most competitive regions are those which are creatively strong across all these domains. By continuing to expand our links with enterprise to widely inform the delivery of an excellent education for rounded, employable people, we can accelerate growth and recovery from the present crisis - a goal to which we are fully committed.
Thank you. We look forward to discussing these matters with the committee.