Greater Emphasis on Part-Time Learning Required from Universities, Conference Told
The Chairman of the Higher Education Authority, Michael Kelly, has called on higher education institutions to significantly increase their portfolio of flexible and part-time learning opportunities. He argues that the limited availability of part-time opportunities, particularly at undergraduate level, is a weakness that must be addressed as a matter of urgency.
Mr. Kelly was speaking at the opening of the European University-Business Co-operation Conference in Malahide this morning.
In the HEA’s submission to the National Strategy for Higher Education earlier this year, the Authority recommended the introduction of a policy and funding framework based on transferable credit-based learning.
Mr. Kelly said,
“This would effectively relate funding allocations to the total number of credits undertaken within an institution rather than to the total number of (full-time) students and would, thereby, secure parity for more flexible forms of delivering higher education. This change would facilitate a substantial re-orientation in programme delivery towards part-time and flexible courses.”
Opening the Conference, the Minister for Education and Science, Mr. Batt O’Keeffe, TD stated that,
“We know that future jobs, investment and the strength of the European economy depend on the quality of our workforce and on our capacity for research and innovation. Our collective ambition for Europe to become the world’s leading knowledge-based economy can only be achieved through investment in our people. A well educated and well trained work force that embraces knowledge, innovation and lifelong learning will be the very basis for our future competitiveness.”
The two day conference brings together over 150 of Europe’s leading educationalists and businesspeople to explore interaction between the business sector and Europe’s universities.