Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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285. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent, if any, to which third level status is being sought by any further institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36999/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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My Department is not aware of any education providers or other institutions that are seeking to become higher education providers at this time.

Further Education and Training providers can apply for QQI validation if they wish to offer HE awards, we are currently unaware of any applications for QQI validation.

The strategic positioning on the higher education landscape of existing providers is a matter for the governing bodies of each institution.

In recent years we have seen significant development in the technological higher education sector, with the establishment of 5 technological universities. The strategic positioning of the remaining two Institutes of Technology, Dundalk Institute of Technology and Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, remains a matter for their governing bodies with Dundalk in particular expressing interest in pursuing a trajectory to achieve technological university (TU) status while IADT is understood to be embarking on a strategic review in the near future.