Record Numbers Going to Higher Education
Tue, 10/11/2009 - 15:10 — jmuldoon
The number accepting level 8 or honours degree programme places has peaked at 31,380 which is up 51% on the 20,728 that started in 2000. For the first time, the numbers accepting places in the Institutes of Technology (46.5% of all acceptances) has outstripped the numbers commencing in the seven universities (44.5% of all acceptances).
There has a big and welcome jump in the number of computing and science place acceptances: up 25% on last year. Science is at its highest levels in ten years.
According to Michael Kelly, Chairman of the Higher Education Authority, “These are phenomenal numbers. They clearly show the strong demand for higher education. Up to two out of every three eighteen year olds are now taking a place in third level. The system has responded well to this increased demand but will be under significant pressure as we expect that demand to continue to grow.”
Publish date:
November 10, 2009
Numbers on Honours Degree Programmes Up Over 50% in a Decade
The start of the 2009/10 academic year saw the largest jump ever in numbers accepting places through the Central Applications Office in higher education institutions, 8.3%, to bring first year numbers to 45,582. This compares with 42,117 last year and 39,915 two years ago. In addition, growing numbers are also returning to or accessing higher education through routes other than the CAO. This jump brings the number of full time undergraduate students in Ireland to over 110,000, more than the total number engaged in farming and related activities in this country.The number accepting level 8 or honours degree programme places has peaked at 31,380 which is up 51% on the 20,728 that started in 2000. For the first time, the numbers accepting places in the Institutes of Technology (46.5% of all acceptances) has outstripped the numbers commencing in the seven universities (44.5% of all acceptances).
There has a big and welcome jump in the number of computing and science place acceptances: up 25% on last year. Science is at its highest levels in ten years.
According to Michael Kelly, Chairman of the Higher Education Authority, “These are phenomenal numbers. They clearly show the strong demand for higher education. Up to two out of every three eighteen year olds are now taking a place in third level. The system has responded well to this increased demand but will be under significant pressure as we expect that demand to continue to grow.”