HEA publishes new national plan for equity of access to higher education
Wed, 09/07/2008 - 08:23 — fr_admin
"Underachievement in education is a personal loss, but it is also a social and economic loss to Ireland. It is within our power to end it” according to Michael Kelly Chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) speaking at the launch by the Minister for Education and Science of the National Strategy for Equity of Access to Higher Education (click here for the full document in PDF format).
Mr. Kelly went on to say that Ireland needs to create an environment where going on to higher education will be a natural decision for school leavers, regardless of socio economic background or disability and where adults, who left the education system early and who now want to return to education can do so. “These objectives are both realisable within a foreseeable timeframe and necessary if Ireland is to develop a knowledge economy that can compete with the best in the world” according to Mr. Kelly.
At present, over 55% of the Leaving Certificate age cohort go on to higher education, up from 44% a decade ago but the Government has set a target that would see participation rates over 70% by 2020. “The Access Plan that we are launching today is set within the objectives and timeframe of the current National Development Plan. The actions outlined in the Access Plan will contribute directly and significantly to our achievement of the key national target of 72% entry to higher education by 2020”.
The Plan was developed by the National Access Office of the HEA, in partnership with the Department of Education and Science and in close liaison with higher education institutions and other stakeholders in the education sector. It outlines the current challenge in terms of low rates of participation in higher education by certain socio-economic groups and sets clear targets to be met over the next five years to address this problem.
There is significant disparity in the level of take-up of higher education places among different socio-economic groups.
Background -
Based on the principle that no group should have participation rates in higher education that are less than three-quarters of the national average, the Plan sets a target that all socio-economic groups will have entry rates of at least 54% by 2020.
In light of Ireland’s limited success to date in achieving participation in lifelong learning, the plans calls for a renewed focus on the extent to which the higher education system provides opportunities for adults. “The lifelong learning agenda will be progressed over the course of this plan through the development of a broader range of entry routes, a significant expansion of part-time/flexible courses and measures to address the student support implications of lifelong learning”. In line with this renewed emphasis on lifelong learning, the plan aims to ensure that mature students (over 23 years of age) will comprise at least 20% of total full-time entrants and 27% of total overall (full-time and part-time) entrants to higher education by 2013.
The number of people with physical and sensory disabilities who benefit from higher education will, according to the Plan, be doubled by 2013.
The Higher Education Authority is the independent statutory body charged with advising Government on higher education policy and for funding our universities and third level colleges.
Publish date:
July 9, 2008
An end to the personal, social and economic loss of underachievement in education
"Underachievement in education is a personal loss, but it is also a social and economic loss to Ireland. It is within our power to end it” according to Michael Kelly Chairman of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) speaking at the launch by the Minister for Education and Science of the National Strategy for Equity of Access to Higher Education (click here for the full document in PDF format).
Mr. Kelly went on to say that Ireland needs to create an environment where going on to higher education will be a natural decision for school leavers, regardless of socio economic background or disability and where adults, who left the education system early and who now want to return to education can do so. “These objectives are both realisable within a foreseeable timeframe and necessary if Ireland is to develop a knowledge economy that can compete with the best in the world” according to Mr. Kelly.
At present, over 55% of the Leaving Certificate age cohort go on to higher education, up from 44% a decade ago but the Government has set a target that would see participation rates over 70% by 2020. “The Access Plan that we are launching today is set within the objectives and timeframe of the current National Development Plan. The actions outlined in the Access Plan will contribute directly and significantly to our achievement of the key national target of 72% entry to higher education by 2020”.
The Plan was developed by the National Access Office of the HEA, in partnership with the Department of Education and Science and in close liaison with higher education institutions and other stakeholders in the education sector. It outlines the current challenge in terms of low rates of participation in higher education by certain socio-economic groups and sets clear targets to be met over the next five years to address this problem.
There is significant disparity in the level of take-up of higher education places among different socio-economic groups.
Background -
| Higher professionals | 100% |
| Farmers | 89% |
| Self-Employed | 65% |
| Lower Professional | 65% |
| Employers/Managers | 65% |
| Skilled Manual | 50% |
| Semi/unskilled Manual | 33% |
| Non-manual | 27% |
Based on the principle that no group should have participation rates in higher education that are less than three-quarters of the national average, the Plan sets a target that all socio-economic groups will have entry rates of at least 54% by 2020.
In light of Ireland’s limited success to date in achieving participation in lifelong learning, the plans calls for a renewed focus on the extent to which the higher education system provides opportunities for adults. “The lifelong learning agenda will be progressed over the course of this plan through the development of a broader range of entry routes, a significant expansion of part-time/flexible courses and measures to address the student support implications of lifelong learning”. In line with this renewed emphasis on lifelong learning, the plan aims to ensure that mature students (over 23 years of age) will comprise at least 20% of total full-time entrants and 27% of total overall (full-time and part-time) entrants to higher education by 2013.
The number of people with physical and sensory disabilities who benefit from higher education will, according to the Plan, be doubled by 2013.
The Higher Education Authority is the independent statutory body charged with advising Government on higher education policy and for funding our universities and third level colleges.