Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Yes, because I want to put the following on the record. It is not the intention for a technological university to necessarily replicate a traditional university. However, a student at a technological university should have opportunities, nonetheless, to engage with disciplines and concepts that go beyond the technical focus of his or her immediate study. Universities and technological universities will be distinguished by a variation of mission statements on different levels of the national framework of qualifications with the continuum of higher levels 6 to 10 to be reflected in the mission and activities of a technological university. Given the recommendations in the national strategy that provisions should cover levels 6 and 7 of the national framework of qualifications and the ongoing importance of these levels, in the context of Irish labour market needs and the historical development of institutes of technology, it was decided to ensure there would be a focus on higher education levels 6 to 10 in the mission statement of a technological university.

I also want to put something else on the record. A key distinguishing feature of a university is the proportion of staff who hold higher level qualifications at level 9 and level 10. In developing the criteria of the profile of staff in a technological university, particular attention was given by the Higher Education Authority in striking a balance between ensuring the academic credibility of a technological university and the need to enhance teaching and research capacity with relevant professional experience and expertise. The criteria require that 45% of staff must have a level 10 qualification.This is set as a reasonably challenging but realistic threshold criterion at application stage. This acknowledges the stage of development of institutes.