Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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296. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a situation in which part-time students were unable to participate in an in-person graduation ceremony in which full-time students could do so (details supplied); if he will advise on the reason that educational institutions at times do not provide a ceremony for their part-time students who are graduating; if he has advice on ensuring that part-time students receive the same supports and treatments as full-time students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52637/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are governed by the Universities Act 1997, the Institutes of Technologies Acts 1992 to 2006 and the Technological Universities Act 2018. Within the meaning of these Acts, HEIs are autonomous bodies and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes including with regard to the protocol for their graduation ceremonies. Accordingly, my Department has no role in relation to this matter.

In terms of supports for part-time students, in May I published 'Funding the Future' – a landmark policy on the future funding of higher education. In line with additional investment under Funding the Future, I have set up an oversight group, which I co-chair with Professor Anne Looney and Professor Tom Collins, to drive reforms in the sector. These structures have identified part-time provision as a key enabler of meeting objectives in relation to an inclusive system, and meeting priority skills needs. As such, a working group is further considering policy options to best support part-time students.