Written answers
Tuesday, 15 December 2015
Department of Education and Skills
Third Level Institutions
John Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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536. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the system of degree courses being offered by private colleges which cost large amounts of money to complete but are not recognised in countries outside our own, the steps she will take to ensure that certain private colleges which offer and actively encourage participation in such costly degree courses will make prospective course participants aware that the courses being offered may not be recognised abroad, the steps she will take to bring about a situation where a degree course in psychology provided by a private third level college (details supplied) will be recognised abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45214/15]
Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The college referred to by the Deputy is a private third level college. Private colleges in Ireland are non-State aided institutions and do not come under the remit of my Department. My Department therefore has no role in relation to the fees charged, or the courses provided, by private colleges.
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) is the State agency with statutory responsibility for the quality assurance of further and higher education and training in Ireland. QQI is responsible for maintaining the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). The NFQ is a system of ten levels which aims to make the qualifications system in Ireland easier to understand, thus facilitating the recognition of Irish qualifications both at home and abroad. The course referred to by the Deputy is recognised at level 8 of the NFQ.
QQI also hosts the Irish centre of the European Network of Information Centres/National Academic Recognition Information Centre (ENIC-NARIC). This service comprises a network of centres that facilitates the recognition of academic qualifications throughout Europe and further afield including Australia. Further details are available at: www.qualrec.ie.
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