Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 595: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her proposals to assist institutes of technology in making Ireland a centre of excellence in e-learning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32550/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In April 2005, I announced Government approval for the establishment of a multi-annual strategic innovation fund, which aims to encourage reform and capacity building within the higher education sector, in accordance with the recent recommendations of the OECD.

As I am very committed to supporting the use of ICT in higher education, I particularly welcome reform within the higher education sector which aims to introduce teaching and learning reforms, including enhanced teaching methods, programme re-structuring, modularisation and e-learning.

It is intended that the fund will be competitively awarded on the basis of an independent external evaluation of the quality of proposals, with a requirement for excellence. This draws on the successful principles established for the awarding of funding under the programme for research in third level institutions. Where the programme supports the development of an infrastructure for excellence in research, this fund will support enhanced capacity in the core teaching and learning function in all areas of the remit of the higher education institutions. The fund will only be allocated to institutions to the extent that the proposals received meet the standard required and achieve the outcomes to which they are committed.

The fund will be created on a multi-annual basis. I have asked the Higher Education Authority to immediately proceed with developing detailed criteria and launching a competitive process for the approval of funding awards, with a view to the drawdown of awards commencing in 2006. The fund will be structured to ensure current national objectives are adequately reflected. I have previously identified these objectives as including the need to safeguard and reinforce the many roles of higher education, and the full diversity of disciplines within it, in driving economic development, in providing independent intellectual insights and in contributing to our broader social and cultural understanding.

In September 2005, the chief executive officer of the Higher Education Authority signed a memorandum of co-operation with the director of the joint information systems committee of the UK, which has responsibility for e-learning developments there. This is designed to foster and enhance co-operation in this area. The Higher Education Authority's e-learning strategy is based on meeting the greater diversity of student needs; increasing flexibility of provision; enhancing the capacity for integrating study with work and leisure through work-based and home-based learning. The authority is aware of the sizeable e-learning industry in Ireland and the opportunities this presents. It is keen to develop co-operation with IDA Ireland and the industry to make Ireland a centre for excellence in e-learning.