Written answers
Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Third Level Education
Emer Currie (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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233. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of degree courses in artificial intelligence being offered in the State at each of bachelor and master levels; the total number of places on offer on these courses; his plans to increase the number of courses and places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24787/25]
James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy should note that Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous and consequently, the management of their day to day functions, including decisions on courses and academic disciplines, are matters for the individual institution in the context of their governance structures and policies. My Department does not have a role in the monitoring of additional new courses or academic disciplines. That said, ensuring our HEIs keep pace with the rapid development in artificial intelligence is a priority for my Department.
I have provided below in tabular format enrolment data for courses related to artificial intelligence broken down by HEI, programme description and course name for the academic year of 2023/24. As an agency of my Department, the HEA gathers enrolment and graduate statistics from publicly funded HEIs. There may be course provision in this area by private HEIs.
The HEA gathers data on enrolments and/or graduate figures and not the number of places on offer.
| HEI | Programme Desc | Course Name | 2023/2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic Technological University | Undergraduate Honours Degree | Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computing with Data Science and Artificial Intelligence | 5 |
| Postgraduate Certificate | Postgraduate Certificate in Automotive Artificial Intelligence | 0 | |
| Post Graduate Diploma | POSTGRADUATE DIPLOMA IN COMPUTING in Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence | 30 | |
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTING in Big Data Analytics and Artificial Intelligence | 25 | |
| Masters Research (Postgraduate) | MASTER OF SCIENCE IN COMPUTING in Artificial Intelligence Research | 0 | |
| Atlantic Technological University Total | 60 | ||
| Dublin City University | Undergraduate Honours Degree | Chemistry with Artificial Intelligence | 30 |
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | EM in Law, Data and Artificial Intelligence | 45 | |
| Dublin City University Total | 75 | ||
| Munster Technological University | Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence | 35 |
| Munster Technological University Total | 35 | ||
| Technological University Dublin | Undergraduate Honours Degree | Bachelor of Science (Hons) in Computing with Machine Learning/ Artificial Intelligence | 65 |
| BSc (Hons) in Computing with Machine Learning / Artificial Intelligence (add-on) | 5 | ||
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | Master of Science in Computing - Human Centered Artificial Intelligence | 30 | |
| Technological University Dublin Total | 100 | ||
| Technological University of the Shannon | Undergraduate Honours Degree | Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Software Design with Artificial Intelligence for Cloud Computing | 45 |
| Undergraduate General Degree | Bachelor of Science in Software Design with Artificial Intelligence for Cloud Computing | 25 | |
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | Master of Science in Software Design with Artificial Intelligence | 65 | |
| Technological University of the Shannon Total | 135 | ||
| University of Galway | Postgraduate Certificate | Postgraduate Certificate in Artificial Intelligence for Professionals | 25 |
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | Master of Science in Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence (FT) | 40 | |
| Master of Science in Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence -Online | 0 | ||
| MSc in Comp. Science - Artificial Intelligence - Online (continuous stream) | 70 | ||
| University of Galway Total | 135 | ||
| University of Limerick | Undergraduate Honours Degree | Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | 40 |
| Post Graduate Diploma | Artificial Intelligence for Computer Vision | 5 | |
| Artificial Intelligence in Finance | 0 | ||
| Masters Taught (Postgraduate) | Artificial Intelligence | 75 | |
| MS Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning | 50 | ||
| University of Limerick Total | 165 | ||
| Grand Total | 710 |
My Department, through the HEA is delivering multi-annual investment (SATLE*) to support HEIs in responding proactively to emerging priorities in teaching and learning. A key area of focus under SATLE is the pedagogically robust, ethically informed, and strategically aligned adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education. SATLE funding has underpinned early-stage innovations, collaborative projects, and resource development that ensure AI integration enhances educational quality, safeguards academic integrity, and supports inclusive student success.
The HEA is leading a programme of work to support the higher education system in adapting to the evolving AI landscape, including the development of a National Policy Framework to be published in 2025. This framework will set out national priorities and recommendations for the responsible, inclusive, and sustainable integration of AI in higher education pedagogy and practice.
In parallel, individual higher education institutions are also responding directly to the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence, as appropriate to their disciplinary strengths, institutional priorities, and student needs.
* The Strategic Alignment of Teaching and Learning Enhancement (SATLE) fund, administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), is a key driver of innovation and capacity-building in Irish higher education. Since 2022, SATLE has delivered multi-annual investments totalling €23.8 million—including €7.7 million in 2022, €6.1 million in 2023, €5 million in 2024, and a further €5 million allocated for 2025. These sustained investments enable institutions to respond proactively to emerging priorities in teaching and learning.
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