Simon Harris has hailed the end of the brutal college points race that has caused such misery for young students for generations.
The Higher Education Minister is opening up new avenues to graduation, with funding for tertiary education and colleges of further education being specifically ringfenced for the first time ever.
Mr Harris said: “This is a game changer.”
He wants to ensure people that might, for instance, make a great nurse but were unable to become one up to now because they didn’t get enough points in the Leaving Cert.
The new system will see people able to go to a college of further education, before then going to university and finishing their education at degree level.
Mr Harris said: “This is a momentous day for third level education in Ireland.
“For decades we have discussed the creation of a unified third level system in Ireland. One in which you are driven by the career you wish, rather than the points you get.
“This is that vision in action.
“For September 2023 we will roll out courses where the student will commence their degree in further education and progress to higher education.
“This is a game-changer. This will ensure there are alternative routes to the points system.
“It will reduce dropout rates and crucially, it will ensure we have a system that is driven by the needs of the learners.
“I want to thank the Higher Education Authority and SOLAS, particularly Dr Alan Wall and Nessa White, for their leadership in driving this change forward.”
A spokesman said that €2million was set aside in Budget 2023 for this measure and this funding will be used for this project.
HEA CEO Dr Alan Wall said he was delighted to see this new National Tertiary Office “come to fruition” after considerable work by both the HEA and SOLAS in getting it off the ground.
Dr Wall said: “This is something that ourselves in the HEA and our colleagues in SOLAS have been working on for some time, and we believe that it will create clear pathways for students transitioning from Further Education to Higher Education.
“The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s Statement of Strategy 2021 to 2023 outlines six strategic goals, one of which centres around developing talent and skills.
“Crucial to the achievement of this goal is the provision of diverse and progressive pathways for learners, enabling progression across and between different institutions.
“This is a very important model for Further and Higher Education, and we are currently in the process of recruiting a Director for this new National Tertiary Office to oversee this new programme.”
A new National Tertiary Office is to be established within the HEA to develop joint further and higher education degree programmes with 13 disciplines, such as nursing and engineering, being advanced this year.
The project will be jointly managed by the HEA and SOLAS through a new National Tertiary Office which will be governed by an MOU between both organisations.
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