Future of Education IE - Q2 2022 by Mediaplanet UK&IE

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ETBs are civic anchors in their communities and are at the forefront in driving forward a learning revolution.

Opportunities available for Ireland’s workforce through green skills The rapid advancement of the green skills technologies is changing how we live, work and educate.

T Dr Fiona Maloney Director, Further Education and Training Support Services

Paid for by Education and Training Boards Ireland

he national network of 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) is leading the future of further education and training. Starting at school level all the way through our academic and working lives, they future proof those already in employment through the greening of skills. They also provide opportunities for upskilling and reskilling existing and future workers. Meeting the skills demand Provision is comprehensive for those already employed or hoping to become employed in one of the many industries within the green economy with a broad range of programmes available at all levels and across multiple locations. At the Further Education and Training Green Skills Summit on March 23rd, Dr Fiona Maloney, Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) Director of Further Education and Training Support Services confirmed: “Ireland’s Education and Training Boards are ideally positioned to meet the skills demands of the green economy. We have over 50 green skills programmes delivered across our sector and NZEB Training Centres of Excellence in Waterford & Wexford and Laois & Offaly ETBs, with three more to follow in Limerick and Clare, Cork and Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim ETBs. “We will work closely with our SOLAS colleagues to support the implementation of the Green Skills for FET 2021-2030 Roadmap to ensure that our learners and trainees have the appropriate skills to both power Ireland’s green economy and access career opportunities.” Working towards climate goals ETBs have a pivotal role to play as Ireland works towards its climate goals. To support these goals and future proof our education strategy they have developed a comprehensive suite of programmes. These will ensure the sector is well positioned to be responsive to change and embrace the opportunities presented by green skills technology. The programmes are suited to both school leavers who want to take up full time education or those who are already employed and want to upskill on a short course or modular bases.

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Implementing future strategy The National Further Education and Training (FET) Strategy 2020-2024 calls for the modernisation of construction skills, a national roll-out of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEB) construction skills centres and a ramping up of programme development across all green skills areas. The updating of curricula across all relevant FET programmes and apprenticeships includes a sustainable development focus with NZEB Training Centres of Excellence in Waterford & Wexford and Laois & Offaly ETBs, with three more to follow in City of Dublin, Limerick & Clare, Cork and Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim. NZEB is a building that has a very high energy performance. The nearly zero or very low amount of energy required should be covered to a very significant extent by energy from renewable sources. Also on offer is the newly launched Wind Turbine Maintenance Technician Apprenticeship offered by Kerry ETB, which is an additional example of the high-level sustainable development provision on offer in FET. Linking education and green skills In addition to all the green skills technology courses ETBs have to offer, they also incorporate green skills into most other programme areas. On May 16th, Wexford Waterford ETB will be representing the sector at the French Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport workshop entitled: “Link between vocational education and training and the green transition” as part of European Vocational Skills week in Paris. Building on this successful Anglo-Franco relationship, further collaborative projects between the French Embassy in Ireland, the ETBs and the Campus of trades of Normandie within the blue and green economy are underway. All of which offer great potential for ETB learners in this area. ETBs are civic anchors in their communities and are at the forefront in driving forward a learning revolution, with learners and teachers adapting to a more immersive, customisable and evolving learning environment. Ultimately, they are improving learner outcomes by enhancing their sustainability and resilience.

More information on all these great initiatives can be found at: 1. fetchcourses.ie 2. apprenticeship.ie 3. kerrycollege.ie/ apprenticeships/ wind-turbinemaintenance/ 4. fetchcourses.ie/ course/finder?sfcwcourseId=322363

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Seizing the day when it comes to reforming education In 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of Children made a very strong recommendation to our State that the Leaving Certificate needed reform.

We must reflect on what has not worked in the past rather than repeat mistakes in order to reform the education sector in Ireland.

arpe diem is a Latin aphorism, usually translated as “seize the day”, taken from book one of the Roman poet Horace’s work Odes (23 BC). The ode says that the future is unforeseen and that one should not leave to chance future happenings, but rather one should do all one can today to make one’s own future better. When we put this into the context of Senior Cycle reform, I often think of the old saying “If we do what we’ve always done, we’ll get what we’ve always gotten!” So what have we?

Paul Crone Director, National Association of Principals and Deputies (NAPD)

Untold stress on students We have secondary level education that is determined by two extremely suffocating factors – the Leaving Certificate terminal exams and the current entry process into Third level. What do we get as a result? Overly anxious students that return to rote learning and set aside the skills and value-based education they have enjoyed for three or four years. We also get high drop rates at Third level in particular courses due to ‘points elitism’ rather than students being appropriately placed. In 2016, the UN Committee on the Rights of Children made a very strong recommendation to our State that the Leaving Certificate needed reform. The Committee felt, following a meeting with young people from Ireland, that the Leaving Cert process placed a disproportionate level of mental stress on the young people undertaking that terminal exam.

Second level education should be just that, second level education – a value based and skills driven experience that is appropriate to our students, their age, needs and development. Providing appropriate experiences The rhetoric that second level educations’ sole purpose is to prepare students for university or working life seems short sighted. The terminal exam based on memory is not sufficient in preparing students either. Second level education should be just that, second level education – a value based and skills driven experience that is appropriate to our students, their age, needs and development. Let’s not go backwards to ‘same old, same old’. Dare I say it, let’s be innovative in our thinking and courageous in our actions. Let us not ignore the future, but rather take action for the future today. Carpe Diem.

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How research paves the way to a better future We believe that research shapes worlds for now and for the future. Our academics are tackling the global challenges of our age, changing people’s lives for the better.

R Emma Flynn Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Enterprise, Queen’s University Belfast

esearch holds the key to making a difference to people’s lives now and in the future. Our research examines the breadth of our behaviour, from something as seemingly innocuous as the impact of letting your goldfish go free in your local river to significant impacts such as improving the detection and treatment of cancer. Queen’s is privileged to have a long history of working in partnership and securing investment that enables our academics to co-develop, evaluate and test theories that create solutions to complex problems which our local and global society faces. Such partnerships and endeavour have resulted in 88% of our research being recognised by the Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercise as world leading and internationally excellent. Critically, 99% of our research environmental, our culture,

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international cybersecurity ecosystem through world leading research and local high quality job creation. • Providing the basis for a model of collaboration between schools in Northern Ireland focused on promoting reconciliation and school improvement. We also have a vital role at the cutting edge of innovation. We believe that innovation keeps a society moving forward and it is part of our fabric at Queen’s. We are accelerating inclusive growth through our leadership in the once-in-a lifetime opportunities presented by the Belfast Region City Deal, driving forward major innovation projects that will include advanced manufacturing and clinical healthcare.

policies, processes, strategy and vision were rated as world leading and internationally excellent. This demonstrates our commitment to fostering a creative, collaborative and inclusive culture which attracts, develops, and nurtures outstanding research talent and inspires our students. The heart of communities A critical part of our vision is to be at the heart of our communities, working with and giving back. We have a unique position in influencing all sectors of society, for example: • Partnering with communities and institutions to co-produce research which allows the sharing of untold experiences of war, enhancing inclusive crosscommunity understanding of contested heritage. • Playing a key role in the

The power of economic impact While we value positive environmental and societal innovation, we also know the power of economic impact. Our commercialisation of academic research has enabled spin out companies that to date have generated £396 million in revenue and provided 3,800 jobs. Great research, partnerships and a commitment from educators to embrace new approaches, will continue to pave the way to a brighter future for all.

Find out more at qub.ac.uk

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Women are helping transform the Irish apprenticeship system

Increasing talent pipeline for manufacturing through apprenticeships Ireland boasts a dynamic manufacturing industry. To compete internationally and grow we need a new approach to widen the talent pipeline.

reland’s manufacturing industry employs 260,000 people across 150,000 businesses in a range of sectors such as medtech, polymer technology and engineering. As an ex-army apprentice, I saw the value presented by developing modern apprenticeship programmes that reflected international best practice to reach more people. That is why I was delighted to join the Irish Medtech Association Consortium, with Mergon International General Manager Aisling Nolan leading the Polymer Technology Ireland Consortium, to create the new industry-led manufacturing programmes. The potential for these programmes was evident not only to businesses but also the Government. The new Manufacturing Technician, Manufacturing Engineering, and Polymer Processing Technology Apprenticeships were selected by the Department of Education and Skills to be amongst the first new apprenticeships launched as part of a major modernisation project. Rising demand drives expansion The high-calibre of these programmes, which cover a range of modules such as manufacturing automation, computer aided design and polymer processing, has led to the apprenticeships providing both an alternative route to traditional university degrees. They also provide a new avenue for upskilling high potential talent under Ibec Project Manager Trish Breen. Nearly 400 apprentices have been enrolled across more than 100 companies. Organisations such

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as Johnson & Johnson, Boston Scientific, Nordson Medical and Pfizer have now participated in these schemes with companies now on a waiting list for the 2022 class intakes. The next intakes for the Manufacturing Engineering Apprenticeships begin in July in Cork, Limerick, and Galway while the Polymer Technology programme will start in early September. Discussions are also underway to expand into the east coast with delivery being considered by TU Dublin and the Waterford Institute of Technology. Ensuring sustainability and access I am proud to be joining the Government’s National Apprenticeship Alliance as the Ibec nominated industry-representative to share my experience. I want to ensure that the apprenticeships reflect the latest skills needs for business to offer high quality jobs for graduates of these programmes. As part of this advocacy work we will be reaching out to the Government to ensure that a sustainable funding model is in place which ensures equality of access to companies both big and small. Additionally, the gender-based bursary announced in April marks a step forward for increasing the number of women and girls in STEM.

Barry Comerford Vice Chair, Irish Medtech Association and CEO, Cambus Medical

As more apprenticeship programmes have become available, awareness has grown among women of all ages and backgrounds of the fantastic career opportunities an apprenticeship can provide.

Dr Mary-Liz Trant Director, National Apprenticeship Office

“I want to push the limits of what I can do and what I can become. As my son grows, I want him to know that I finished my apprenticeship and went on to become everything I could be.” These are the words of sheet metalwork apprentice Joanne McGuigan, from Monaghan, as she reflected on being an apprentice and a mother to her young son. Joanne is one of 1,500 women apprentices currently training in Ireland and contributing to a transformation of the apprenticeship system. Diverse range of opportunities Until 2016 there were less than 100 women choosing the apprenticeship route. There are now 65 programmes on offer, spanning engineering, biopharma, finance, construction, hospitality, tech and many more areas, covering the full range of qualifications from certificate to PhD level. Last year there were a record 8,607 overall registrations. This represents an increase of almost 40% on figures for the same period in 2019, the last year of “normal” operations.

With 1,500 women in a population of 24,000 apprentices nationally there is still a distance to go in growing the ranks of women apprentices. Being a role model to others There’s a reason it’s becoming an increasingly attractive option: apprentices earn while they learn, with a contract of employment and a salary while completing training. Aware that ‘you have to see it to be it’, many women apprentices and apprentice graduates are stepping up to tell their stories of experience and success. These stories are captured on the national apprenticeship website www. apprenticeship.ie, with more continuously being added. Avril Kennedy, an electrical apprentice with ESB Networks, described how she thought that being a woman in a male dominated job was going to be tough, but her experience has been that everyone is treated the same and she is thrilled to be a valued member of a great team. New female apprenticeship targets With 1,500 women in a population of 24,000 apprentices nationally there is still a distance to go in growing the ranks of women apprentices. There is a particular challenge in the construction and engineering industries. Some apprenticeship programmes still have no women participating. A new gender bursary announced by Minister Simon Harris aims to change this, with employers eligible for €2,666 for each apprentice they employ from a minority gender. The target is to have 2,000 women apprentices by the end of 2022. To keep that trajectory going, watch this space.

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Engineering offers limitless career possibilities for women A career in medical devices is one that Process Engineer, Liga Grzibovska has found to be filled with opportunity, challenges and rewards. A career which she would highly recommend.

moved to Ireland from Latvia 14 years ago and I started my career in West as a Production Operator where I took the opportunity to shadow technicians and engineers. This gave me the exposure and appetite to develop my career in engineering.

Liga Grzibovska Process Engineer, West Pharmaceutical Services

Paid for by West Pharmaceutical Services

Further education and development Over the course of five years, I have progressed my career from an operator to process technician and now to a process engineer. Through the company’s further education programme, I have taken the opportunity to complete Six Sigma Green Belt Certification and the Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Polymer Processing. I am currently studying for the Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Management. I would recommend a career in engineering and particularly in the medical device sector. The medical devices sector is fantastic to work in for many reasons. Firstly, the teams I work with are really passionate about what we do because the products we manufacture make a real difference to patients’ lives and we see that every day. Job continuity and growth The sector is constantly evolving to meet the growing advances in medical device design and manufacturing technology. From an engineering perspective, this makes my job exciting and enables me to continue to develop

new skills, with lots more opportunities for my future development. As the sector continues to grow, it offers stability in terms of job continuity as well as a variety of roles and opportunities to progress your career. West is a leading provider of innovative, high-quality injectable solutions and services. As a trusted partner to established and emerging drug developers, the company helps ensure the safe, effective containment and delivery of life-saving and life-enhancing medicines for patients worldwide.

The teams I work with are really passionate about what we do because the products we manufacture make a real difference to patients’ lives and we see that every day. We have a highly skilled workforce and the Dublin site has been working over the last number of years to increase female participation in medical devices, particularly in our engineering teams.

Image provided by REEdI

Rethinking engineering education in Ireland through industry academia collaboration It has become globally recognised that our universities must adapt to the world they live in. Therefore new collaborations are needed to help bridge the gap between industry and academia.

he adaption of academia is even more true in the era of digitisation and Industry 4.0 where universities are under increased pressure to deliver engineers of the future who can solve problems we don’t even know about yet. Against this backdrop the Rethinking Education in Ireland (REEdI) project was founded.

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Industry-academic collaboration REEdI is a consortium of national and international HEI’s, industry stakeholders and world class research centres. Munster Technological University (MTU) are the lead university of the project with University of Limerick, Harper Adams and Charles Sturt University as the academic partners.

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Through the project, MTU has developed a innovate engineering qualification. This unique qualification sees industry and academia collaborate to deliver the Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, the first of its kind qualification in Ireland. Making a tangible difference The project has been developed in collaboration with industry partners across a variety of sectors such as pharma, medtech, automotive, electronic, advanced manufacturing and agritech. According to Denis Collins, CEO, ActionZero industry, government and academia must collaborate efficiently to address the climate crisis. “Initiatives like

this will develop the skills we need to make a tangible difference. We will also see relevant clusters and high-quality regional jobs from these collaborations.” Through this course, students will get to learn with immersive technologies such as virtual and augmented reality. The four year degree programme will be equally divided between time spent in an academic setting and time spent in industry. It complements academic studies by providing another way of learning outside the lecture theatre during work placement in industry. Three way relationship The student engineer will spend the first two years on campus and the final two-years at a host industry partner such as Stryker, Analog Devices, ThermoFisher, Astellas, Johnson and Johnson amongst other. They will gain the skill set and personal attributes an employer looks for in a graduate engineer. The three-way relationship between student, university and industry is core to the approach on which the programme is designed.

Interested in a career at West? Find out more at: careers. westpharma.com

Dr Gerard Corkery Head of Department STEM, Director of REEdI

Professor Joseph Walsh Head of the School of STEM, Munster Technological University

Solving the problems of tomorrow Engineering graduates of the programme will have the knowledge, experience and skillset to work across a diversity of sectors, to address the shortage of engineering talent and continuously improve and solve complex engineering problems.

Find out more at reedi.ie

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Our education journey does not stop when we leave school A generation ago, our education determined our first job. Many workers went on to stay in the same sector with the same employer until they retired. However, labour markets are changing – and fast.

S Kristine Langenbucher Head of Unit for Employment and Skills, OECD

tructural changes in the economy, as well as global trends including the digital and green transitions, influence the way we work and the types of jobs available. Take automation: the OECD estimates that around 14% of jobs could disappear a cross the OECD in the next 15-20 years, another 32% will significantly change. The green transition also demands re-skilled and up-skilled workers in many sectors. These include skills for the automotive sector’s transition to electric cars and the retrofitting of buildings in the construction sector. In a world that is increasingly knowledge-based, skills development can no longer be thought of as a finite process. Underinvestment and imbalance in new skills OECD evidence also shows that groups standing to get the most from adult learning, participate least in education and training. Only around a third (36%) of workers at high risk of automation participate in adult learning. By contrast, participation rates for adults with a low risk is almost two-thirds (64%). If all workers at high risk of automation trained as much as low-risk workers, an additional 23 million adults would need to participate in training every year. Breaking down barriers Too many adults are not actively seeking training offers

or get discouraged. Most say they lack the time for work related training or personal reasons such as childcare and family responsibilities. Digging deeper we have seen that many adults give up because they cannot find training offers that are close by and have a schedule that works. High costs and a lack of employers support also are barriers for many. Employers too are often discouraged from investing, especially as workers are increasingly mobile and can take the benefits of their training elsewhere. An undereducated workforce can cause risks to companies’ competitiveness and thus to the local economy. Local partnerships count The speed and scope of labour market changes mean that we need skills that match tomorrow’s jobs. The Irish Regional Skills Fora is an opportunity for employers. The fora bring together industry associations and representatives, education and training providers and government agencies. Together they identify current and future skills needs and develop training programmes that address priority skills needs for employers. This tailored approach combined with government subsidies for training ensures the buy-in of local employers to invest in upskilling their staff.

How to prepare graduates for the future of work

deal with ambiguities and act autonomously will be much needed to navigate and advance in rapidly shifting economies. By engaging more students in problem-based learning and work experience, students will be better prepared to join the workforce and tackle real-life problems.

The world of work is changing. Globalisation, digitalisation and the adoption of new technologies are transforming not only the jobs we do but also how, when and where we work.

T Meadhbh Costello Policy Executive, Ibec

o prepare for the future of work, graduates will need to build their employability and lifelong learning skills to thrive in workplaces that are both more exciting but also much more unpredictable.

career transitions. Government, educators and employers need to work together to foster the development of ‘T-shaped graduates’ who have a broad foundation of employability skills in addition to deep subject matter expertise.

Developing ‘T-shaped graduates’ COVID-19 has demonstrated how quickly the world of work is transforming, often in unpredictable ways and at a faster pace than can be planned. Transformation is now coming so quickly that the majority of students in our primary schools today will work in careers that are yet to be invented. To prepare graduates for the future of work they need to be equipped with the skills to build resilience to uncertainty and facilitate smoother

A broad spectrum of skills Employability skills are the skills almost everyone will require to do almost every job. Graduates today can expect to work in diverse teams requiring robust communication, teamwork and leadership skills. To resolve complex challenges around issues such as the climate crisis and sustainability, employers need workers with strong creativity, critical thinking and problem-solving skills. While personal leadership skills including the ability to self-reflect,

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For more on OECD Local Skills work, visit: oecd.org/ cfe/leed/localemployment.htm

Lifelong learning Developing graduates with curious minds, a thirst for knowledge and an appreciation for learning is one of the biggest successes that our education system can achieve. After all, the rate of change in society today means that the skills a graduate leaves education with no longer last a lifetime. We need to ensure that everyone can engage in learning throughout their career. This can only be achieved by making space for innovation in the education system and embedding flexible pathways for learning including part-time courses, micro-credentials and online learning. In the coming years, we will continue to see the workplace transform in unexpected and exciting ways. Developing employability skills and a passion for lifelong learning are not only important for supporting graduates in transitioning to the workplace - but these skills will also form the bedrock for success throughout their careers.

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Ireland is leading the way in the micro-credential revolution

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and the European Commission regards Ireland as a ‘microcred’ champion, who is a global leader in putting the building blocks required in place. The involvement of the universities will showcase microcredentials to the public and encourage lifelong learning right across society. The universities are currently working closely with the enterprise and national skills architecture in Ireland to meet advanced and future skills priorities.

Seven Irish universities and the enterprise sector have put their combined weight behind a new initiative which provides accredited small units of learning geared towards the public and industry’s needs.

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icro-credentials are small units of learning focused on key skills; flexible and agile in terms of how they are delivered. With micro-credentials there is quality assurance around the quality of the teaching, learning and assessment as well as a credential at the end which demonstrates the learning outcomes that have been achieved. The focus is on areas where skills gaps have been identified, or where future skills gaps are anticipated by enterprise. Micro-credentials are designed in the first instance to help businesses in Ireland, large and small, to address a particular business need that they have. In a competitive jobs market, they are envisaged as an attractive highly flexible way for firms to attract and retain highly skilled talent. They can be completed as single learning units, or a number can be stacked together into a larger

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learning credential or award. The importance for businesses and individuals taking part is that they are relevant, and worth the time investment put into them. Championing education progress MicroCreds is a €12.3 million fiveyear project (2020-2025) led by the IUA in partnership with UCD, UCC, UL, TCD, DCU, NUIG and Maynooth University. New Zealand and Canada are among the earliest adopters of micro-credentials. However, Europe, who is about to adopt an official recommendation on micro-credentials, is regarded as the world leader. In Ireland, partner universities and enterprise are working together, with an Enterprise Advisory Group to ensure that the content is relevant to business and delivered appropriately. Ireland’s small size means that the universities, National Skills Architecture and Enterprise are used to working together collaboratively,

Dr Lynn Ramsey Director of MicroCreds, IUA

Applications for businesses Key skills and knowledge sets that have been identified that can benefit people working in the enterprise sector. One is focused around achieving lower carbon emissions and what specific industry needs are needed here. A second area that has been identified is digital technology and AI which are transforming so many sectors and enterprises. The people who stand to benefit here are those whose job requires an understanding of these areas but is not a specialist in them. It is vital, from an industry perspective, that university quality assurance mechanisms underpin and support micro-credential learning. They are designed to suit the needs of owners and managers of SMEs, who often have huge demands on their working time. How the micro-credentials are delivered is crucial, with learning being highly flexible to engage enterprise. The typical SME owner/ manager focuses on the customer and the immediate threats or opportunities to the business, so it is key that the return for their investment of time is clear.

Tony Donohue Chair, Expert Group on Future Skills Needs

Ambitious targets set In early 2023, a new online discovery platform will be launched by MicroCreds to act as a central repository of micro-credentials on offer by the seven universities involved in the initiate. As well as providing for the skill needs of industry, there are ambitious targets for encouraging lifelong learning generally, and communicating the value of this program of microcredential learning.

MicroCreds was awarded €12.3 million in funding following a competitive process under the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science’s (DFHERIS) Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3 Innovation and Agility, with funding drawn from the National Training Fund. Find out more at iua.ie/microcreds

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Taking action to ensure a digital future for Irish education Digitalisation has the power to enact real change that will lead to a diverse, equitable and inclusive education system.

T Una Fitzpatrick Director, Technology Ireland

he recent pandemic has paved the way for radical innovations and rapid accelerations in digital education. We must now reap the rewards of this and ensure the digital momentum continues. While we are of the opinion that digital teaching cannot replace classroom teaching, the time has come for a radical transformation from the theoretical era to the digital era. To secure a digitalised future of education, Technology Ireland believe there are a number of key actions that need to be taken. Access to digital resources for all We support a ‘cloud-based’ approach for central ICT systems, applications, services and infrastructure, including human resource management, case management and finance systems. Maximising cloud usage will deliver technological and cost benefits for schools and ensure students can benefit from new cloudbased educational programmes. We can also see from international research that appropriate device ratios for students and educators are essential to ensure both have access to all the digital resources they need, and infrastructure is no longer a constraint. We can see that providing a digital device per student, is shifting from being considered a luxury, to being a basic building block of good education. Creating an inclusive working environment Incorporating digital learning resources will assist with the development of a constructive and inclusive learning environment. Most importantly, it will enable educators to adapt teaching to diverse groups of students and students’ individual needs. We welcome the continued rollout of Leaving Certificate Computer Science. To ensure successful uptake of this subject, pathways such as coding/ digital media short courses must be implemented at upper primary and junior cycle level.

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We can also see from international research that appropriate device ratios for students and educators are essential to ensure both have access to all the digital resources they need. Potential digital education risks It is also important to understand and acknowledge the risks posed by technology in education in order to enable a robust security procedure and online safety curriculum to be implemented. Information security, data privacy and online safety are some of the greatest worries in the integration of technology in education. To prevent these worries becoming barriers to the adoption and use of digital technology, technical supports and ongoing guidance should be provided at a central level. The 21st century employment landscape is ever evolving. However, something that remains consistent is the growing need for digital skills in the workplace. The development of foundational digital skills must be ensured at every stage of education, so that students are best equipped for the jobs of the future.

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We can see that providing a digital device per student, is shifting from being considered a luxury, to being a basic building block of good education. ~Una Fitzpatrick, Director, Technology Ireland

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The rise of the virtual lab for practical learning Dublin, offers accredited stackable modules to professionals without the requirement to sign up for a full major award in the area of digital transformation. Subjects in the fields of digital agriculture to AI in medicine to financial mathematics, among others, are covered within the broad definition of ‘digital transformation’. The COVID-19 pandemic has provided an opportunity to accelerate the roll-out of remote labs in order meet module learning outcomes related to laboratory work, as well on flexible learning options for the tradition classroom contact hours. The long-term implications of these activities is still unknown.

Two, once in a generation, events have occurred recently that have affected the higher education landscape in Ireland. Specifically, the provision of the practical elements of engineering education programmes.

Louise O’Gorman Advance Centre Manager, Atlantic Technological University, ATU Sligo

Barry Twomey Advance Centre Manager, University College Dublin

oth events will have long lasting and wide-reaching effects. The first has been meticulously planned and executed for over a decade and the other, unexpected and chaotic. The first event is the creation of the Technological Universities which was a recommendation of the National Strategy for Higher Education in 2011. Launched on the 1st of May 2022, the TUSE followed the Atlantic TU, TU Shannon, Munster TU and TU Dublin via the merger of most of the Institutes of Technology in Ireland. The second event was the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020 which caused a pivot to emergency remote teaching which continued in various forms until January 2022. A change in education delivery Before the onset of COVID-19, full time students attended lectures and labs for practicals. A typical undergraduate engineering programme provide up to 10 hours in laboratory environments per week, where they engage in a selection of practical activities associated with

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theory delivered in a classroom. An equivalent part time student studying online would typically have attended campus occasionally, for practical activities to take place. However, the provision of remote labs along with the associated technologies has been a growth area for over 20 years. The technology now exists conveniently and inexpensively to enable students to access labs and conduct experiments over the internet. The technologies required are linked to those of Internet of Things (internet connection, sensors and cloud computing). Evolution of virtual labs Virtual labs and simulations are also an option which could satisfy accreditation criteria and can be part of a remote lab ecology. The Higher Education Authority has provided funding under the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) to provide more innovation and agile ways for students to engage in lifelong and life wide learning across a wide range of subject areas. For example, the Advance Centre, which is a collaboration across UCD, ATU Sligo (formerly IT Sligo) and TU

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Adopting a flexible approach There are local examples, research groups, commercial entities and academic literature focused on a more flexible approach to the provision of practical elements of engineering education. The advantages identified so far are inter alia: 24/7 access to practice labs, flipped classroom ability, reduce requirement to attend campus, reflects the industrial workplace, provides the opportunity to conduct research across multiple sites, can internationalise programmes and inclusion of groups who cannot attend campus. The ability to access a wide range of modules, from multiple institutes, provides a less rigid approach to continued development for part time professional learners to upskill, or convert to another field.

The provision of remote labs along with the associated technologies has been a growth area for over 20 years. Other HCI funded projects include Higher Education 4.0, which is providing alternative paths for learners into and through the Atlantic TU. A national approach to Recognition of Prior Learning and Micro-credentials will also result in a more flexible and agile approach to learning. The boundaries between the formal and informal are increasingly blurred and combined, giving rise to new ways of learning. The landscape is not static. It is continuously developing, adapting and improving to cope with the changing technology environment as well as managing the expectations of the twenty first century learner.

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