Professor Vincent Cunnane:

I say to all students coming in that we will not judge them coming through our door but that we will judge them leaving. To categorise people at early stages in their lives, whether it is the eleven-plus in the UK or other matters, is totally contrary to the ethos of the regional technological colleges, the institutes of technology and the new technological universities. We do not believe that people reach their potential at a particular age. We believe that they reach it at various junctures in life due to life experiences and financial and other reasons. We as a sector are always there for them when they are ready for us.