A renewed focus is currently being given to progress Ireland’s commitment to Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development. Substantial progress has been achieved in recent months in respect of reviewing Ireland’s implementation of Agenda 2030 and identifying key priorities and actions for inclusion in the next National Implementation Plan. It is intended that the draft Plan will be made available shortly and form the basis of discussion at the next SDG National Stakeholder Forum. This will allow for a final round of input from stakeholders prior to finalisation and publication.
Ireland has adopted a ‘whole-of-Government’ approach to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with each Minister having responsibility for implementing individual SDG targets related to their functions.
I have also included below details of the goals my Department is responsible for, and the progress made in implementing these goals.
1. Under the Sustainable Development Goals Policy Map, a number of Education strategies and plans have been identified as key to implementing SDG 4 – Quality Education which spans ensuring:-
- equal access for all women and men to affordable and quality technical, vocational and tertiary education, including university (4.3)
- increasing youth and adults who have skills for employment and entrepreneurship (4.4)
- gender disparities are eliminated and equal access to all levels of education (4.5)
- all youth and substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy and numeracy (4.6)
- all learners acquire skills, knowledge to promote sustainable development (4.7)
a. National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2021 (SDG 4.3, 4.5)
The Third National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-2021 ended in 2021. The development of the new Strategic Action Plan for Equity, Participation and Success in Higher Education, which will span over the period 2022 – 2026, is at an advanced stage. The plan is being developed collaboratively between my Department and the Higher Education Authority.
The plan has involved significant consultation with interested stakeholders, including higher education institutions, students, individuals and representatives of priority groups.
This approach of the Plan will be rooted strongly in partnership approaches, across Government, institutions and communities. It will focus on improving the learning experience and success of learners and seek to enhance support for people who are under-represented in the learner population in higher education. I will be bringing the final Plan to Government in advance of publication in the coming months.
b. Further Education and Training (SDG 4.3, 4.4, 4.6)
In the Further Education and Training (FET) sector, and in line with SDG 4.3, fostering inclusion is one of the three core pillars of the FET Strategy 2020-2024. Work is continuing across the sector to enhance the inclusivity, accessibility and flexibility of FET provision. Within their annual service planning processes, the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) consider the needs of the most marginalised groups and how these are being addressed within their provision. In the area of fostering inclusion, there have been two significant developments, namely the development of the Framework for Universal Design for Learning in FET and the launch of the new 10 year adult literacy, numeracy and digital literacy strategy, Adult Literacy for Life. Both developments are significant and will help to enable every citizen to participate fully in society.
The Mitigating Against Educational Disadvantage Fund (MAEDF) aims to provide funding to support educationally disadvantage learners in accessing and participating in community education. The fund was first made available in 2020 with €5.8m granted comprising over 500 community education projects funded through the 16 ETBs. In light of the great successes of the MAEDF in 2020, and in recognition of the continuing challenges in relation to the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions, a further €6.85 million was granted under this Fund again in 2021, comprising over 1,000 initiatives. The projects funded varied from projects to help support online learning, connect communities and providing social supports to the most disadvantaged eCollege has also been expanded, and eCollege courses have been temporarily made available free of charge as additional supports to those impacted by Covid-19.
c. National Skills Strategy 2025 (SDG 4.4, 4.5)
- The National Skills Strategy 2016-2025 (NSS) was published in 2016 and makes recommendations in the skills arena for the period to 2025.
- The Strategy sets out a wide range of actions under six key objectives aimed at improving the development, supply and use of skills over the next decade. The objectives are:
1. Education and training providers will place a stronger focus on providing skills development opportunities that are relevant to the needs of learners, society and the economy.
2. Employers will participate actively in the development of skills and make effective use of skills in their organisations to improve productivity and competitiveness.
3. The quality of teaching and learning at all stages of education will be continually enhanced and evaluated.
4. People across Ireland will engage more in lifelong learning.
5. There will be a specific focus on active inclusion to support participation in education and training and the labour market.
6. We will support an increase in the supply of skills to the labour market.
Since the publication of the NSS in 2016, the changes that were anticipated for the future world of work have accelerated, including those around Industry 4.0, automation and digitisation. The new technologies and new skills associated with these trends bring with them requirements in relation to upskilling and reskilling for those in employment and those seeking employment, as well as requirements in relation to the content of tertiary education. It is timely to review and revitalise the skills strategy, architecture and overarching approach for Ireland in order to ensure that our skills framework continues to be fit for purpose and to work on the basis of partnership with industry in driving forward the skills agenda and responding to the challenges that face us as our economy reopens and recovers
d. National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (SDG 4.7)
The National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) 2014-2020 has now expired but significant progress was made over the period, spanning early childhood education to higher education and beyond, and a report is being compiled in this respect. Achievements included:-
- the introduction of additional undergraduate and postgraduate programmes relevant to sustainable development;
- the integration of sustainable development criteria in initial teacher education programmes;
- increased participation in the Green Campus programme among higher education institutions;
- increased pipeline of research and researchers with expertise on the SDGs and Sustainability achieved, through research funding calls with a specific focus on these areas.
Building on the success of the existing strategy, the Department, together with the Department of Education are jointly developing a new strategy for ESD to 2030, aligned to the UNESCO Framework for ESD for 2030 and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 4.7. As well as being a target in itself, ESD is also considered a key enabler for achieving all 17 SDGs. A public consultation process to inform ESD to 2030 took place between April - June 2021, in addition to targeted stakeholder consultation in Autumn 2021. The new strategy will aim to extend ESD to the informal and non-formal education sectors, raise awareness, increase youth participation and links with communities. Development will be overseen by the ESD Advisory Group. It is envisaged that a new strategy and accompanying implementation plan for ESD to 2030 will be published in Spring 2022.
2. Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science - Statement of Strategy 2021-2023
The SDG Implementation Plan calls for a reference in Statements of Strategy where Departments have lead responsibility to implement SDG goals. The Department’s new Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 includes a clear commitment to sustainability and embeds goals and actions throughout that are aligned with the SDG Goals and Targets, where the Department is named as a lead of stakeholder department.
3. Achieve higher levels of economic productivity through diversification, technological upgrading and innovation, including through a focus on high-value added and labour-intensive sectors (SDG 8.2)
Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries, in particular developing countries, including, by 2030, encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers per 1 million people and public and private research and development spending (SDG 9.5).
My Department’s Statement of Strategy is a clear articulation of the Government’s commitment to support and strengthen the national research and innovation ecosystem and position Ireland as a leading knowledge-driven economy. Innovation 2020, Ireland’s national strategy for research and development, science and technology has come to a conclusion but its vision for Ireland to become a Global Innovation Leader driving a strong sustainable economy and a better society continues to be valid today.
The development of a new national strategy for research and innovation (R&I) is a key commitment in the Government’s Economic Recovery Plan 2021, which sets out the “dual ambition of placing research, development and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland’s economic and societal challenges, and building capacity and capability across the research and innovation system to move R&I up the value chain.”
Development is ongoing, but the next strategy will set a vision and ambition for Ireland’s R&I system with ambitious national strategic goals and objectives out to 2027. This will enable agility and responsiveness over the full period of the strategy and a strong focus on delivery and reform.
The Programme for Government commits to creating better opportunities through education and research and ensuring that Ireland is a global leader in research and innovation across the arts, humanities, social sciences and STEM. Research and innovation will be fundamental to addressing our economic and social challenges such as climate change, digitalisation and public health and as such the new strategy will be aligned with the SDGs.
4. Climate Action (SDG 13)
Climate Action features prominently in the Department’s new Statement of Strategy 2021-2023. The Department is also contributing actively to the preparation of the new Climate Action Plan. The research and innovation sectors will play an important role, including advancing innovative and technological solutions that will in turn be critical to enable sectors across the economy to meet the ambitious targets set for 2030 and 2050. There will also be a key role for the tertiary education sector to ensure reskilling and upskilling for climate action, including new skills required in the green transition such as retrofitting.
In terms of progress made, Springboard+ and the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) has provided significant funding for courses that include a focus on the environment, climate change and sustainability.
Under Springboard+ 2021, 310 places were provided on fourteen courses that focus on the environment, climate change and sustainability. Courses range from Corporate Environmental Planning, to Near Zero Energy Buildings and Energy Infrastructure and are offered in 11 different institutions. A new round of Springboard+ 2022 courses are due to be launched in Q2 2022, and the call for proposals included sustainability and the low carbon economy as an area of focus for courses under the call.
Under HCI Pillar 1 2021, 247 places were provided on 12 courses that focus on the environment, climate change and sustainability. Courses range from Post Graduate Diploma’s in Sustainable Energy Systems to Post Graduate Diploma’s in Wind Energy and are offered in 8 different institutions.
HCI Pillar 2 funding has targeted 25 additional places on the following course on TCD B.Sc. in Environmental Engineering or (depending on pathway taken) B.Sc. in Applied Environmental Science. The academic rationale for the course is to uniquely combine the expertise of two Schools (Natural Sciences and Engineering) towards preparing graduates to tackle the global challenges of the world as set out in the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
I and my Department are committed to making progress on the SDGs and will continue in our programmes of work as set out above in order to advance this important agenda.
