Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 33: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if it is ethical for students to pay €6,500 to enrol for a postgraduate diploma in education at University College Dublin when they were unaware that plans were in place to downgrade the qualification from level nine to level eight. [31608/11]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 34: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if University College Dublin, as a public body, is covered by administrative law and should adequate notice not have been given to students who enrolled in its postgraduate diploma in education in the belief they would, upon graduating, receive a level nine qualification that it would be downgraded to level eight mid-term; and his views on whether an injunction should be imposed on this decision. [31609/11]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 35: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the views of University College Dublin, that the postgraduate diploma in education is an anomalous and undefined qualification meaning it cannot be downgraded; and if he shares this view, is it not correct that the diminished status of the qualification should result in lower student fees and a less intense level of course work. [31610/11]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 36: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the school of education has contacted other international bodies to inform them that despite the change in grade to University College Dublin's postgraduate diploma in education, it retains the same status as the qualification in its original designation. [31611/11]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 37: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify the statement from the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland which seems to indicate retrospective change whereby anyone who graduated at level nine from 2005 will now be classified as level eight; and what same means for those students who graduated before 2005. [31612/11]

Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 38: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason University College Dublin registry stamps the grant forms for postgraduate diploma in education students with level nine; the reason UCD School of Education stamps level nine on some students' forms; and the reason Europass diploma supplements are being issued for the PGDE with level nine stamped on them by UCD. [31613/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 33 to 38, inclusive, together.

Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and my Department does not have any function in relation to their academic affairs, including decisions concerning course provision, postgraduate fees, consultation processes with students or the issuing of diploma supplements. I understand that following detailed consultation between the Irish universities and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) in the context of the ongoing process of implementing the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ), the universities have agreed that the initial post-primary teaching qualification previously known as the Higher Diploma in Education and latterly as the Graduate or Postgraduate Diploma in Education, is to be formally included in the NFQ at Level 8 with immediate effect.

As a result of the decision to include the initial post-primary teaching qualification at NFQ Level 8, the title 'Postgraduate/Graduate Diploma in Education' will be replaced with the new title 'Professional Diploma in Education' to avoid confusion with any Level 9 award type. All qualification titles used prior to 2011 (i.e. legacy titles) are also placed in the NFQ at Level 8.

As this is the first time that these qualifications have been included in the Framework at any level, there has been no reclassification of awards.

The qualification continues to be recognised by other countries in accordance with their policies and procedures and the adoption of the new title will not affect student entitlements under the existing Student Maintenance Grant Schemes.