Mr. Tom Boland:

The Chair raised the issue of local facilities. One of the major reasons for the success of Ireland's higher education system is the way in which students have relatively easy access to education on a regional basis. The institutions of technology in particular have played a major role in this regard. One of the major objectives of the national strategy in the context of creating regional clusters of institutions is to maintain that comprehensive range of provision locally. There will be always be areas in which consolidation is appropriate. For example, it is not possible to have a veterinary school in every part of the country. Apart from these areas, however, a comprehensive range of provisions is important in terms of regional development and, more important, student access. Transport has improved considerably in recent years but cost issues arise nevertheless.

I must express my interest in the CAO as a member of its board. I agree that it is an excellent organisation. If I was not appearing before this committee I would be attending a meeting of the board of the CAO to discuss a new strategic direction with the objective of leveraging its past success to support the higher education sector in other ways. The CAO is mindful of the need to take a strategic view of its future.

Closer collaboration among universities and institutes is a sine qua non of the current reform process. Sometimes the discussions of reform of structures of higher education leave one with the sense that things will be done to the institutes of technology while the universities blithely go their merry way but that is unlikely to happen. In fairness, there are good examples of collaboration in university research, including in particular the programme for research in third level institutions which is managed by the HEA on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills. Collaboration can and does work but we need to see it happening on a wider basis than research, such as in undergraduate areas.

Ms Doyle addressed some of the issues in respect of quality monitoring by the HEA. We are all wasting our time if we do not achieve quality outcomes from the higher education sector. Quality is at the top of everybody's agenda. The HEA has a key concern with quality but it plays an indirect role in quality assurance.

Quality in the first instance has to be the responsibility of the institutions; otherwise, all it becomes is a box-ticking exercise. The institutions have to be concerned with the quality of what they are providing for their students. QQI, which has been established, has had a major role as a national agency in this space and a key success factor for the future system of higher education we are trying to build is the relationship that will be created between the agency and the HEA. We have to work hand in glove with the agency, particularly because we have the funding instrument that can drive the recommendations QQI can make on quality. Those two things need to work well and I expect that in our strategic dialogue with the institutions and in making decisions on funding for performance, quality and proven quality, outcomes will be central.

On the specific initiative, as Ms Doyle mentioned, as well as making a broad-ranging policy statement to the higher education sector last Thursday, the Minister also launched the national forum for teaching and learning, which is being managed through the HEA. It arose out of considerable funding made via the authority through the strategic innovation fund recently to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in the higher education sector. We are creating a forum in which the wide range of good practice across the sector can be brought together in a single place and strongly influence high-quality outcomes for students in teaching and learning.

Senator Power asked for figures on postgraduates. It is early and we do not have them yet. Some may not register until later in the year. We can keep her informed when we get the figures.

Mr. Costello will comment further on the access issue.