Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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1040. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department or the Department of Education has carried out a review of technological university funding models as recommended by the TURN report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30777/21]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The development of technological university funding sits within the context of the review of funding models for Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) across the entire higher education sector.

In this context in 2016, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) appointed an independent Expert Panel to review the current allocation model for funding higher education and to make recommendations on the most appropriate funding model for the future. The completed review recommends reforms to the HEA funding distribution model.

A key recommendation of the so-called RFAM report is the development of a costing model applied consistently across HEIs. At present, there is some differentiation in the costing approach as between the Universities and Technological Universities and Institutes of Technology. The review recommends moving away from the current ‘two-pot’ funding approach with fixed proportionate allocations to universities/specialist colleges and institutes of technology and towards a universal approach to supporting all HEIs.

This will involve the standard student-driven methodology determining base allocations, and a broadly universal set of metrics for research and innovation support, with individual adjustments and targeted funds ensuring that sufficient incentives remain to protect and to reinforce the diversity of different individual missions.

Recommendation 7 of the RFAM report identifies that the design of this new costing model will be informed by a short, focused review to establish a single, shared costing approach to be implemented across all higher education institutions.

Subsequently Deloitte was appointed by the HEA in 2019 to undertake a scoping exercise on an appropriate model. In 2021, the HEA working with the Department, Department of Expenditure and Reform, Irish Universities Association and Technological Higher Education Association will commence development of a conceptual framework on the journey towards adoption of a Universal Costing System applying across the entire higher education sector.