Tempus Info DayAmman

21 January 2013

Gerry O’SullivanNational Contact Point

Ireland

• National Context

• National Strategy

• Bologna Process

• International Strategy

National Context

Video

There are more than 40 higher education institutions in Ireland, including

• 7 universities

• Dublin Institute of Technology

• 13 institutes of technology

• 6 colleges of education – teacher training

• (Partly) publicly-funded small colleges

• There are also a number of private third-level colleges - including Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland

Future: Reduction to 24 (Jan 2013)

Full-time enrolment in Irish higher education - 1980 to 2030

025,00050,00075,000

100,000125,000150,000175,000200,000225,000250,000275,000300,000325,000350,000

Actual up to now Likely future scenario

Demographic Context

1922

1923

1924

1925

1926

1927

1928

1929

1930

1931

1932

1933

1934

1935

1936

1937

1938

1939

1940

1941

1942

1943

1944

1945

1946

1947

1948

1949

1950

1951

1952

1953

1954

1955

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960

1961

1962

1963

1964

1965

1966

1967

1968

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

Births per annum since 1922 and present age (if still alive in 2012)

3265

4488

Time

18

Data source: Philip O’Connell, David Clancy & Selina McCoy (2006) Who went to college in 2004?

The persistence of inequalityEntry rates to higher education by socio-economic group, 2004

55%

27%

33%

50%

65%

65%

65%

89%

45%

73%

67%

50%

35%

35%

35%

11%

100%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Total

Non-manual (lower middle income)

Semi- and unskilled manual

Skilled Manual

Employers and managers

Lower professional

Own account workers

Farmers

Higher professional

National Strategy To 2030

Development of a National Strategy• Switch in focus from working with individual

institutions to developing the system as a whole

• Previous priority of improving participation rates to be tempered with a greater focus on efficiency of provision and diversification of modes of participation

– Institutions responsible for their course offerings but the HEA has responsibility for efficiency of entire sector; potential tension between both responsibilities

– Performance funding mechanism

Current Higher Education challenges

• Economic recovery

• Labour Market Activation• Innovation and creativity must be promoted at all

levels of the education system

• Skills profile of population vs. Skills Needs of the Economy

• ICT Skills Needs• & e.g. Construction sector reskilling

Current Higher Education challenges

• Participation and flexibility of provision

– Non-traditional entrants & flexibility of course offerings to meet diverse student population needs

• Managing growing demand despite effective fall in per-capita funding levels

– CAO Demand and Demographics– Broader entry cohort

• Quality and standards

Persons on Live Register

0

50,000

100,000

150,000

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

(Mar

ch)

National Strategy

• National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030– The centrality of Teaching and Learning to the mission

of Irish higher education– Greater innovation in the design of higher education– Greater flexibility in the delivery: 39 – 24 institutions– Integration of teaching and research– Continuing professional development through

collegiate networks

Bologna Process

• Degree Structure Bachelor/Master/Doctoral• European Credit Transfer and Accumulation

System (ECTS)• Recognition of Awards/Lisbon• National Framework of Qualifications• European Diploma Supplement (DS)• Ireland well placed to implement all

Key Bologna Actions

The National Framework of Qualifications –award-types and awarding bodies

International Strategy

The context is global and the international dimension is vital

Rank Country of Origin Ireland Offshore & distance 2011/12 2010/2011 Difference

64 Jordan 28 13 41 30 11

Characteristics

• Ireland as a small, open European economy relies on international engagement

• An internationalised education system has a crucial role to play in our international profile and attractiveness

• In context of national strategy for economic renewal, the government established High level Group on international education in 2010 to: • Develop a national strategy• Co-ordinate a national approach

• Report Investing in Global Relationships: Ireland's International Education Strategy 2010-2015 published September 2010

Vision

• The most compelling rationale for internationalisation is investment in future global relationships with Students educated in Ireland – our future advocates

overseas Educational institutions – our teaching and research

partners Countries – our business and trading partners

• Internationalisation enhances the quality of learning, teaching and research

• And will contribute to Ireland ambition to become a global innovation hub

Objectives and Targets to 2015

• Increase:

Total international HE students 50% by >12,000 to 38,000 Full-time int’l HE students 50% by 8,500 to 25,500 Int’l students doing advanced research by 50% to 3,800 Taught postgraduate int’l students from 13% to 20% to 5,100 Exchange and JYA from outside EEA to 6,000 from 3,600 English-language students by 25% to 120,000 Offshore students by 50% to 4,500 Economic impact by €300 m to €1.2 bn

• Strengthen institutional links with priority partner-countries

• Increase outward staff and student mobility

Key findings:

• Numbers of international students registered in Irish higher education institutions 32,000 (2012) - an increase of around 2% over last year’s figures.

• The composition of Ireland’s international student cohort is also changing in important ways. PhD student numbers have increased by 35% and now account for 20% of Ireland's international students – Ireland’s performance in this area is above international norms. There has also been a 6% increase in full-time degree student numbers. International students have increased under all the STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) fields.

• Revenue growth has continued to be strong. International education is now estimated to be a €1 billion sector for the Irish economy, with international students in higher education contributing around €700m and English language students around €300m.

• The best performing priority market has been Malaysia, which saw 10% growth in student numbers. While growth in other priority markets has been more modest, a renewed focus on India, China, the US and Ireland’s participation in Brazil’s Science without Borders Programme should see stronger growth in these markets in 2013 and beyond.

• The crucial importance of transnational education (TNE) to the global expansion in international education - and therefore to the future prospects of Ireland in this sphere - is becoming obvious. The rate at which Irish HEIs are rising to this challenge is mixed, but already this data indicates that 23% of Ireland's international students are offshore and this had led to a shift in the profiles of some countries of origin. For example, 46% of Chinese students are now studying offshore and the numbers based in Ireland have dropped by 10% (300) in one year.

Ten Strategic Actions (1) • Partnership and collaboration – greater collaboration within & between

government, HE sector and English language sector, coordinated by High Level Group, with 4 Working Groups: Implementation, market development & access (Chair: Department

of Education and Skills) Sectoral Development (Chair: HEA) Quality Assurance and Student Experience (Chair: Quality and

Qualifications Ireland) Branding and Promotion (Chair: Enterprise Ireland) Monitoring & Benchmarking – HEA & EI to develop database &

Annual Report • Renew Education Ireland Brand and strengthen marketing • Quality – Quals & QA Bill, Quality mark, Code of Practice • Strengthened immigration and visa regime • Comprehensive HEI internationalisation strategies • Develop relevant international education offerings, based on HEI capacity

and student needs

• Consistent & supportive government policies and actions

High Level Group as key mechanism Small Strategic Fund Three new Scholarship programmes:

1. The Government of Ireland International Scholarships 2. The New Frontiers Programme 3. The Government of Ireland English Language Educators Scholarship

• Strengthen networks of influence – alumni associations and contacts; HEI’s with embassy & EI support

• Outward mobility by staff and students – part of HEI’s strategic plans

• North-South and EU co-operation

Three new Scholarship programmes:

• The Government of Ireland International Scholarships will seek to attract high calibre international students. One year €10000 for 30 scholarships

• The New Frontiers Programme will be open to staff and students in Irish higher education institutions that hold a Quality Mark and who wish to undertake a period of study in an institution in a non-English-speaking partner-country outside the EEA. €2500 from State for 30 scholarships

• The Government of Ireland English Language Educators’ Scholarship willprovide for a period of study in Ireland by talented English-language educators who will become advocates for Ireland in their home country. €5000 for 15 Scholarships

Conclusion

• Strategy on International Education comes as part of wider response to need for economic renewal in Ireland

• Focus is on Ireland's international relationships, particularly on international student mobility and on educational links with future long-term trading partners However, it is not simply about trade:

• There is recognition of the wider perspectives of the internationalisation process, including collaborative institutional and research links, internationalisation of curricula and engagement in multilateral initiatives, such as the Bologna process.

• There is also recognition that the European dimension is crucial to the Irish education system and an active ongoing commitment to the EU programmes is essential.