Pathways and Laddering:

The Irish Model

Dr Brendan J. Murphy

Toronto 28 November 2011

Ireland/Background

Population 4.6 million 40% < 25 years

10% > 65 Years

Education 90%+ complete secondary education (not streamed)

66% of secondary school leavers go on to

Higher Education (HE)

Higher Education 7 Traditional Universities (1592-1845-1980)

System 14 Institutes of Technology (IoTs) (1970-1999)

All public funded

(162,000 full-time students, 40% IoTs, 60% University)

1970’s Ireland- A time of Change

• Free Secondary School Education

• Regional Technical Colleges established; now called IoTs

• New means tested grant system to increase access to Higher Education

• Transition from an agriculture to high-tech economy

• Ireland joined EEC (now EU) 1973

1970-1980 Growth of the IoTs

• IoT staff were either new university graduates (Science, Engineering, Business) or had worked in the US with new American companies setting up in Ireland e.g Pfizer, Apple

• No existing rule book for sub-degree courses

• NCEA (now HETAC) set up in 1972 as an awarding and quality assurance body for the non-university sector. An attempt by the traditional universities to limit this body and the IoTs to sub-degree courses only failed in 1979/80

• Only requirement was that our awards, where appropriate, were to be comparable to those of the universities

IoT Courses, Progression and Awards

Taught Course Award

Years of Study Credits From

Higher Certificate LC+2* 120 1970

Ordinary Degree LC+2+1*LC+3**

120+60180

19751995

Honours Degree LC+2+1+1*LC+3+1**LC+4

120+60+60180+60240

199019951985

Masters Honours Degree+1 90(60) 1995

Research Masters+PhD 1990

* Original Ladder ** New Ladder

IoT Courses

Differences from traditional universities

•New type of Technicians, Engineers and Scientists needed by our high tech industries•Industry involved in new course development, in validation panels, in industry advisory boards•Work placement/internships a feature of courses•Companies wanted our graduates with their balance of Knowledge, Skills and Competence•Produce a professionally ready graduate

Academic Quality Assurance

• From the beginning all IoTs were required by law to have Academic Councils and an internal system of QA.

• Established by HETAC: a rigorous system of validation and institutional review, credit transfer, learning outcomes

• HETAC/NQAI is the national body recognised in EU, giving European recognition of our awards

• In 2001 Ireland established NQAI and NFQ. National Framework of Qualification. All educational awards had to be placed on this framework of 10 levels of knowledge, skills and competence. All HE awards are at L6-L10. www.nfq.ie

National Framework of Qualifications

European Framework of Qualifications (EFQ) 2006-09

Irish NFQ

Level E FQ

Knowledge Skills Competence

L6 L5 • comprehensive, specialised, factual and theoretical knowledge withina field of work or study and an awareness of the boundaries of thatknowledge

• a comprehensive range of cognitive and practical skills required todevelop creative solutions to abstract problems

• exercise management and supervision in contexts of work or studyactivities where there is unpredictable change• review and develop performance of self and others

L7&8 L6 • advanced knowledge of a field of work or study, involving a criticalunderstanding of theories and principles

• advanced skills, demonstrating mastery and innovation, required tosolve complex and unpredictable problems in a specialised field ofwork or study

• manage complex technical or professional activities or projects, takingresponsibility for decision-making in unpredictable work or studycontexts• take responsibility for managing professional development ofindividuals and groups

L9 L7 • highly specialised knowledge, some of which is at the forefront ofknowledge in a field of work or study, as the basis for original thinkingand/or research• critical awareness of knowledge issues in a field and at the interfacebetween different fields

• specialised problem-solving skills required in research and/orinnovation in order to develop new knowledge and procedures and tointegrate knowledge from different fields

• manage and transform work or study contexts that are complex,unpredictable and require new strategic approaches• take responsibility for contributing to professional knowledge andpractice and/or for reviewing the strategic performance of teams

L10 L8 • knowledge at the most advanced frontier of a field of work or studyand at the interface between fields

• the most advanced and specialised skills and techniques, includingsynthesis and evaluation, required to solve critical problems inresearch and/or innovation and to extend and redefine existingknowledge or professional practice

• demonstrate substantial authority, innovation, autonomy, scholarlyand professional integrity and sustained commitment to thedevelopment of new ideas or processes at the forefront of work orstudy contexts including research

Ladder of Progression

• National Qualification Body and a National Framework of all Qualifications

• International recognition of Irish qualifications

• New Ladder now used by 1st time entrants to HE, normally Ordinary Degree +1. Jobs still for Ordinary Degree holders, embedded awards

• Continuing Education/CPD and upskilling are our big market: original ladder+RPL/WBL . Giving a diverse system of HE.

• Our engagement with enterprise and the community is still the distinguishing feature of our sector, in contrast to the traditional university sector

Present and Future of IoTs

• Growth of taught Masters driven by industry, professional bodies and internationalisation

• Applied research, innovation, startup companies research Masters and PhD

• Innovation ecosystems

• Technological Universities

References

• www.hetac.ie

• www.nqai.ie

• www.ioti.ie

• www.cit.ie

• president@cit.ie

• http://ec.europa.eu/education/pub/pdf/general/eqf/broch_en.pdf

END