Higher Education Authority an tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas HEA

At the request of the Minister for Education and Science, the HEA and the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) have set up a process to comprehensively review the role and contribution of the humanities and social sciences to social and economic development in Ireland, current strengths and weaknesses and the actions needed to strengthen this sector of the higher-education system.  The scope of the exercise will cover all areas of the humanities, including the arts, culture, business and law. This initiative comes on the back of the report commissioned by the Royal Irish Academy and published in 2007 ‘Advancing Humanities and Social Sciences Research in Ireland’. The foresight exercise will review the strengths and weaknesses of HSS in Ireland and chart a course for its future development.

 
Mr. Michael Kelly, Chairman of the HEA will chair the Steering Committee which will oversee the process and to which a high-level group of experts will report.  This group is chaired by Dr. Maurice Bric, Chairperson of the IRCHSS and who also chaired the Royal Irish Academy's working group that produced Advancing Humanities and Social Sciences Research in Ireland. 

The other members are:

Dr. Mary Canning, Education Consultant and Chairperson of the Irish Committee of the European Cultural Foundation.

Professor Jane Conroy, MRIA, Department of French, National University of Ireland, Galway.

Ms. Anastasia Crickley, Head of Department of Applied Social Studies, National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Mr. Jim Devine, President, Institute of Art, Design and Technology, Dún Laoghaire.

Professor Liam Downey, Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, National University of Ireland, Maynooth.

Professor Caroline Fennell, Dean of the Faculty of Law and Head of the Department of Law, University College Cork.

Professor Ellen Hazelkorn, Director of Research and Enterprise, and Dean of the Graduate School, Dublin Institute of Technology, and Director of the Higher Education Policy Research Unit (HEPRU).

Dr. Eucharia Meehan, Head of Research Programmes and Capital Programmes, HEA.

Dr. Rory O’Donnell, Director, National Economic and Social Council.

Ms. Gina Quin, Chief Executive, Dublin Chamber of Commerce.

Dr. Simon Roberts, Manager, European Design and Social Science Research Team, Intel Ireland.

Professor Frances Ruane, Director, Economic and Social Research Institute.

Mr. Martin Shanahan, Head of Human Capital and Labour Market Policy, Forfás.

Professor Alan Smith, UNESCO Chair, School of Education, University of Ulster.

** GRADUATE CAREERS SURVEY **
 
As part of the Exercise we are currently conducting a short survey of graduates in the arts, humanities, and social sciences to find out about career paths pursued and how these relate to individuals' higher education.  We would be grateful if you could spare 10 minutes to complete the survey, which can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=IndP32UbU0MpXlmtP6x04w_3d_3d

Irish Version

** GRADUATE RECRUITMENT SURVEY **

We are also conducting a survey of employers on the recruitment of graduates in the arts, humanities, and social sciences.  If you are an employer we would be grateful if you could spare 10 minutes to complete this survey which can be accessed by clicking on the following link:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=BneGXY_2fmLs_2fGs2neg80RZA_3d_3d


If you would prefer to receive a hard copy of either of the surveys please email fahss [at] hea.ie

Frequently Asked Questions:


Q. As of 25 September 2008, how many responses have there been to both surveys?
A. There have been 160 responses to the employer's survey and 661 responses to the graduate survey. This figure is the overall response rate and includes those who commenced but may not have finished the survey.

 

For further information please contact:

Ms. Jane Sweetman - jsweetman [at] hea.ie
Dr. Abigail Chantler - achantler [at] hea.ie