Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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323. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide details of stage 4 of the designation process for technological university status, that is, an application for designation; the length of time, once a consortium has entered this stage, that it will take to complete this process; and if, upon completing the four stages, legislation will be required for a consortium to be fully designated as a technological university. [13350/16]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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324. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 328 of 17 May 2016, if he will provide further details regarding the differences in mission and core research/teaching functions between a technological university and a traditional university here (details supplied). [13351/16]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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325. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views that greater Exchequer and/or non-Exchequer funding will be required to facilitate the transition to technological universities designation by the current consortia; if his Department can provide data on the level of funding it believes will be required; and for details of the level of additional Exchequer funding support and/or non-Exchequer funding that it is estimated will be required for the new technological universities such as the TU4 Dublin group, to perform additional research, teaching and conferral functions. [13352/16]

Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail)
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326. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to re-introduce the Technological Universities Bill 2015 in the Dáil on Report Stage. [13353/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 323 to 326, inclusive, together.

As the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.

This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.

Mission of Technological Universities:

The intention has always been that a Technological University would be distinctly different from traditional universities and institutes of technology by virtue of their mission relating to graduate formation, applied research and scholarship, dissemination of knowledge to meet the needs of society and enterprise with a very strong regional focus. However, the mission of a university in Ireland as set out in the 1997 Universities Act is broad and comprehensive and as such it is not surprising that there may be some evidence of some elements of overlap between a University and an Institute of Technology or Technological University.

This differentiated mission for a Technological University includes:-

- a systematic focus on the preparation of graduates for complex professional roles in a changing technological world,

- the advancement of knowledge through applied research and scholarship and the dissemination of this knowledge to meet the needs of society and enterprise, and

- the particular contribution the university will make to the needs of the region in which it is located.

I would also like to underline that this is much more than a rebranding exercise – the institutions concerned are required to achieve high standards across a range of areas before being designated as technological universities. These include standards relating to the qualifications of staff, the quality of research output, the proportion of students engaged in lifelong learning, and other relevant issues.

The following is a list of some of the key features expected of a Technological University:

- the range of teaching provision (levels 6-10), with the associated scope for progression via appropriate pathways;

- the strength of provision for work based, and lifelong, learning;

- the weight of postgraduate research activity relative to that in Institutes of Technology;

- the key role of experienced practitioners in teaching and research;

- very close employer links with involvement in curriculum design, teaching and supervision;

- a strong vocational/professional orientation;

- a strong regional as well as a wider focus;

- highly developed responsiveness and flexibility in delivery, with demand (via feedback from employers) as a key driver; and

- an approach to research that entails building strength in focused areas in close partnership with users.

The mission and vision for each of the individual proposed technological universities is developed by the consortia, in consultation with stakeholders including staff and students, and is contained in the implementation plans subsequently developed.

Regional Focus:

There will also be a specific focus on the particular contribution the university will make to the needs of the region in which it is located. The development of technological universities has the potential to deliver greater opportunity to students in these regions, to staff working in the institutions, and to the broader local economy and society.

International usage of the term Technological University:

As outlined in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 the purpose of the process for designation as a Technological University is "...to fundamentally protect the core mission and orientation of the institutes and to simultaneously challenge the institutes that wish to be re-designated to demonstrate that they have reached new levels of performance on these fronts."

There is no standard use of the term technological university internationally. In Europe many colleges previously known as polytechnics have become Universities of Applied Science (e.g. Finland and Netherlands). They remain differentiated from traditional universities through their links to the labour market and strong emphasis on undergraduate rather than post-graduate activity.

In other jurisdictions there are Higher Education Institutions that appear similar in some respects to technological universities as envisaged for Ireland but are not known as technological universities (e.g. RMIT University, Melbourne Australia, or Swinburne University of Technology).

Consortiums who have applied:

As part of the implementation of the Strategy, the Higher Education Authority in 2012 published a four-stage process and criteria for applicant groups of institutes of technology wishing to apply to become technological universities.

The designation process consists of four stages as follows –

- an expression of interest,

- the preparation of a plan to meet the criteria,

- an evaluation of the plan, and

- an application for designation.

There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as TUs. These are TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown), Technological University for the South-East (TUSE – consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow), Munster Technological University (MTU – consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) and the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA – consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).

Status of Consortia:

At the end of 2014, two consortia successfully passed stage 3 of the four-stage process. These are the TU4Dublin consortium and the Munster Technological University consortium.

In early 2015 the Connacht-Ulster Alliance also expressed an interest in merging and in applying to become a technological university. This application was approved to proceed to the next stage. In line with the process for designation as a Technological University, Stage 2 of this process involves the preparation of a plan by the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, to meet the criteria for designation as a Technological University.

With regard to the Technological University for the South-East, consisting of Institute of Technology, Carlow (ITC) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), following the publication of the Kelly report, a preliminary facilitation process which was underway since September 2015, has recently been completed and a Report of the process was received by my Department on 13 May 2016. There was strong engagement in the process by both parties. This facilitation process has been an important building block in terms of building trust between the parties and in developing a strong working relationship between the Presidents and Chairs of both institutions. As part of this process, the Presidents of the two institutions, have jointly developed an initial work-plan to support the development of a joint TU proposal.

In addition to this both Institutions made a recent joint presentation and submission to the Higher Education Authority, seeking funding to underpin the next phase of engagement. This was part of the latest call issued by the Higher Education Authority regarding the restructuring of the higher education landscape. The call sought submissions for funding support in respect of the costs arising from mergers as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education.

Future Funding for landscape re-configuration in the Higher Education sector:

It is recognised that these changes to the landscape of Irish higher education carry some up-front additional costs and the HEA has provided for a fund to support HEIs with these costs. In terms of additional financial support, having regard to the benefits that will arise for the institutions, students and the higher education system more generally, the HEA has provided funding in 2013, 2014 and 2015 to provide some support to institutions involved in the TU process, the details of which are set out for each consortium below.

In relation to 2016, the HEA have ring-fenced a level of funding to support costs arising from the continuation of landscape reform projects as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education. This funding, of up to €8.7m in 2016, includes a specific €2 million allocated in Budget 2016 to support Technological University projects. This funding will be allocated by the HEA to the various landscape reform projects in due course.

The HEA has also invited further submissions for funding support in respect of the costs arising from mergers as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education. The total funding available in this call in 2015 will be c. €3.75 million. Not all of this funding is for Technological Universities as there are also other mergers taking place in Higher Education, i.e. NUIG/ St. Angela's College, Sligo and DCU/ St. Patrick's College, Drumcondra/ Mater Dei Institute of Education.

Costs:

Summary of Overall Costs to date and projections for 2016:

Costs incurred to End 2015 Estimate for 2016 Future projections

TU4 Dublin €3,113,000 €2,200,000 To be fully determined as part of the Stage 4

Application process

MTU €1,053,026 €2,100,000 To be fully determined as part of the Stage 4

Application process

TUSE €495,655 To be fully determined as part of the Stage 2

Application process

CUA €400,000 To be fully determined as part of the Stage 2 Application process

Total €5,061,681 €4,300,000

The process for designation as a Technological University consists of four stages. The "phase-gate" model for the process allows for assessment of the projects at set points. In relation to costs, these are considered during each stage of the process and in particular there is an onus on each consortium to develop financial models and estimated costings. In terms of the financial costs, the two consortia that have finalised stage 3 and developed implementation plans acknowledge the costs involved in merger and the designation process, but also commit to meeting those costs within their own budgets. They also acknowledge that while there are up-front costs in the shorter term, in the longer term, designation as a Technological University will allow them to recoup these costs and provide for new income streams.

In common with the Munster TU consortium, TU4Dublin has sought to ensure that cost estimates and projecting are robust. It is essential to understand that, due to the complexity of both of these projects, cost estimates and projections must be continuously reviewed and revised as the project progresses.

Stage 4 Process:

Details of the Stage 4 process, including timeframes, for designation as a Technological University are set out in the Technological Universities Bill, 2015. Sections 39 to 43 of the Bill set out the process for the making of an application to become a technological university, and the information which must be included in such an application, provide for the appointment of an independent, expert advisory panel to examine the application, for the provision by that panel of a report and recommendation to the HEA, and the subsequent provision by the HEA of the report, its views on the report and any other relevant information to the Minister.

Section 44 of the Bill provides for the making of a proposed decision by the Minister in relation to the application for Technological University status.

Position of Technological Universities Bill:

In relation to the position of the Technological Universities Bill, this Bill was at Report Stage at the time of dissolution of the previous Dáil in February 2016. I recognise that there were a significant number of matters raised in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. It is my intention to now consult with all of the relevant stakeholders in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.

Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.