Strategic Development
The challenges for Ireland and the associated changed context for the Universities raises important questions of strategy for higher education. We believe that the Department’s current strategy process provides an opportunity to critically reflect on the importance of higher education and to consider the need for an overall strategy to guide and support its development in the medium to long term.
The Irish Universities Association (IUA) was invited to submit views in respect of the Department of Education and Science’s next Statement of Strategy: 2008 to 2010. Full IUA submission document can be downloaded here.
At present only some components of a long term strategy for higher education exist. In planning terms, the SSTI and the NDP provide some strategic direction, but they are largely research focused and do not fully reflect the linkages between research, teaching and learning, and knowledge transfer – linkages which the Universities see as being central to the future of higher education. At a programmatic level, there is a dramatic increase in activity through research funders and the Strategic Innovation Fund, but again, this activity needs to be directed by an overall long term policy and strategy which plans for the development and sustainability of the higher education endeavour as a whole.
We have been encouraged by the receptiveness of the Minister and her Department to the proposal that such a strategy should be developed on a collaborative basis with stakeholders. IUA and its members welcome and are fully committed to such a process.
Historically:
CHIU submission to the OECD Team commissioned by the Government to carry out a review of higher education in Ireland.
OECD Examiner's Report - Review of Higher Education in Ireland.
