Dr. Mary Kelly:

The Higher Education Colleges Association, HECA, welcomes the opportunity to make this submission on the future of STEM in Irish education. HECA represents the majority of established, mature, privately-funded higher education institutions, providing programmes that are validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, flexible, cost-effective and focused at levels 6 to 9 on the national framework of qualifications, NFQ, with some members, including my own institution, Hibernia College, providing initial teacher education programmes across all levels. We are currently facing rapid technological advancements and societal changes, along with uncertainty over the future of work and the economy. However, it is clear to all of us here that STEM will play a critical role in all our futures and, as such, STEM education is vital for providing individuals with the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in a wide range of careers and fields.

From early childhood education to post-primary education, Ireland has a clear pathway for developing 21st-century skills through various curriculums and frameworks. These policies contribute to an overarching vision for STEM across the education system. They outline the benefits that STEM education offers for all students, supporting children’s capacity to understand and engage fully with the world around them, facilitating deeper and more meaningful peer-to-peer learning and fostering critical communication skills. However, while institutional and teacher capacity development through policies, frameworks, and programmes is essential, achieving and advancing STEM education goals necessitates several key actions.

One of these actions is developing the future skills of teachers. Enhancing initial teacher education and providing continued professional development opportunities for in-career teachers will be crucial for the future. The quality of teaching remains one of the most important factors influencing student learning opportunities and it is crucial to explicitly develop teachers' capacity to understand, embed and assess learners' future skills, as well as recognising the role of teacher training in promoting excellence in digital and STEM education.

STEM education relies heavily on technology as one of its fundamental components. Technology is increasingly playing a significant role in classrooms, reflecting the interactive media children use from an early age. Policymakers must invest in digital resources in schools. To authentically integrate technology into the classroom, teachers need to be able to allow pupils to use familiar devices to enhance their learning and provide concrete methods for tracking individual achievements and personalising lessons. Authentic integration of technology can improve student engagement, which can lead to enhanced critical thinking.

Many studies indicate that students from underprivileged backgrounds are less likely to pursue STEM courses, leading to a lack of diversity in the field, including women and individuals from ethnic minorities. The Secretary General of the United Nations announced in 2021 that, "advancing gender equality in science and technology is essential for building a better future". Jennifer O'Brien has outlined how women are still underrepresented in STEM professions. She has noted that according to the Central Statistics Office, CSO, in 2021 there were approximately 117,800 people employed in STEM-related roles, but less than 25% of these roles are held by women. Ms O'Brien goes on to state that in Ireland, the gender gap in STEM starts to become more apparent after the junior cycle, noting that the optimal age for pursuing STEM topics is between nine and 13 years old.

It is imperative, therefore, to ensure that STEM subjects are not only available to students but are given the priority they deserve and schools have the necessary resources and teaching methodologies to deliver these subjects effectively.

Although higher education offers many specialised courses in STEM fields, it is crucial to provide not only advanced degrees and postgraduate courses in these subjects but also interdisciplinary modules that can be integrated with other areas of study. To respond to rapid digital and STEM changes, we at HECA believe that national regulation should be flexible and time-sensitive, enabling both private and public higher education institutes to quickly introduce new programmes, micro-credentials and delivery modes under the digital strategy and STEM needs. This also relates to apprenticeships. Policymakers and educators must prioritise STEM education and invest in resources to support it for students to succeed. Expansion of the Springboard programme to widen the participation of under-represented groups and upskilling should occur.

Furthermore, while a HECA member does not have representation on the recently launched artificial intelligence working group, the private education sector does not have representation on key national drivers and decision-making panels and this must be addressed. It is important to ensure that all key stakeholders in STEM education provision and digital strategy are included in national steering groups to ensure their perspectives and expertise are considered. Excluding any stakeholder, particularly a key one, can potentially hinder progress and result in missed opportunities for collaboration and innovation.

Finally, the centrality of a student in relation to the processes and outcomes of education, regardless of the methodologies used and the environment in which they are placed, must always remain the focus of policy developments.