Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697803662813.pdf (Ireland)
JOINT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, FURTHER AND HIGHER EDUCATION, RESEARCH, INNOVATION AND SCIENCE North South Student Enrolment in Tertiary Education I would like to thank the Committee for the invitation to meet today on behalf of THEA.

While this is an issue of general concern it has been exercising those of us located in border regions more than others.

My current role is Head of College of ATU Donegal, but I also have cross University responsibility for cross-border relations.
In a past life, I worked in Dundalk IT for 10 years and I was born in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal, four miles from the Fermanagh border, therefore the border has always been part of my life.

I was one of the stakeholders that Deputy Conway Walsh spoke to in the preparation of your paper and I was happy to share my experiences.
In preparing for this meeting in addition to the Committee Report I have also consulted the “Analysis of Existing Statistics on Student Flows between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in Higher Education” published by the HEA, Department of Education and Skills and the Department of the Economy, December 2018.

While this report is somewhat dated, taken along with the Committee Report and recent data from the CAO shows that increasing cross-border student mobility remains a significant challenge.
The perspective from a border region is important in this discussion, and particularly a location where tertiary education providers are located in such close proximity to the border.

The border has disconnected tertiary education providers from their natural hinterlands.

It is evident that educational participation stands out as an area where cross-border mobility is inhibited with other sectors such as employment, retail, health, and leisure all having a significant cross-border dimension.
In my own college the percentage of staff with NI addresses dwarfs the percentage of NI students enrolled with us.

We can be assured that barriers to cross-border student mobility are real given that the people in border communities have found them difficult to navigate.

I congratulate the Committee on this very comprehensive report and their achievement in distilling a complex matter in a concise and understandable document.
The eleven recommendations if addressed will help ensure that student choices will be less influenced by which side of the border the student is born and schooled.

Other elements that are important to this consideration are the recognition of further education and vocational awards in a cross-border context.
The real complexity in the qualifications frameworks in ROI and NI is below the level of the traditional university degree and achieving clarity in mutual recognition of these awards is critical for ensuring that progression pathways are navigable on a cross-border basis.

Indeed, these further education and vocational awards are central to the upskilling and reskilling of employees for Industry 4.0 roles and the new skills needed to address the climate challenge.
In the North West City Region of Letterkenny, Derry and Strabane, the four tertiary education partners Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Ulster University (UU), North West Regional College (NWRC) and Donegal ETB have established the North West Tertiary Education Cluster (NWTEC).

One of the objectives of this Cluster is to remove both the real and perceived barriers to P a g e | 1 cross-border student mobility.
The Cluster is also actively involved with the DFHERIS and the Shared Island Unit to deliver on commitments made in the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement.

Meeting these commitments under NDNA will require a significant investment across the region in addition to the UU Magee Campus.

Through the NWTEC collaboration we have been working with stakeholders to better meet the needs of our cross-border region.
It is important that tertiary education partners supporting stakeholders, including enterprises in the region, have access to the funds that will break down historical disadvantage in these border communities.

I would ask the Committee to recognise the lead role that the NWTEC has had in promoting cross-border tertiary education collaboration and its potential in improving the levels of cross-border mobility for students.
The Cluster has received very helpful early- stage funding from the HEA and DFHERIS but it now requires longer term support to continue this work and funding to expand the Cluster’s research capacity.

In February 2021, the NWTEC established a Smart Industry Board (SIB) aimed at giving a strong voice to industry in the region while ensuring that it is not duplicating but is adding to the work of stakeholders on both sides of the border.
SIB was established to complement the work of existing regional groups including Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Education and Skills Delivery Partnership.

The Smart Industry Board will achieve its aims by ▪ being driven by industry representatives from both sides of the border, identifying current ▪ ▪ and future needs informing education, research and training provision.
comprising industry representatives, tertiary education providers, local authorities and skills fora on both sides of the border.

initially addressing demands from the industry sectors of ICT, Engineering and Tourism as reflected in the Board’s membership.

▪ being a vehicle for supporting the promotion of the North West City Region as an attractive place to work, live, learn and invest.
ATU Donegal hosted the very successful Smart North West Conference on the 7 October 2022 on behalf of the NWTEC to showcase and share the collaboration taking place in the North West City Region and to foster greater cross border collaboration to drive regional economic growth.
Mr Simon Harris TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science outlined Irish government plans for a unified tertiary education system and commitments to supporting education collaboration on an all-island basis.

The Minister in his address to the conference was very supportive of the key role that the North West Tertiary Education Cluster has played in terms of cross- border collaboration.
He set out five priorities for his Department in terms of the all-island agenda as: ▪ Cross-border Apprenticeships ▪ Medical Education on a cross-border basis ▪ All-island Research Centres ▪ ATU providing new impetus to achieving more on cross-border collaboration ▪ Delivering on commitments made under New Decade, New Approach Amongst these priorities the Minister directly challenged ATU, given the unique region it serves and the history of cross-border collaboration of its constituent colleges, to bring a new impetus to cross- border engagement.
P a g e | 2 My final thought is to welcome the establishment of the new National Tertiary Office which will be important in supporting collaboration between FE and HE and the provision of degree programmes where learners commence in FE and finish their degrees in HE.

This offers a glimpse of a model that could be extended for cross-border awards and reflects a further development of a collaboration that ATU and NWRC have for Early Childhood Health and Education programmes.
I would also wish to congratulate Dr Fiona Maloney in her appointment this week as the inaugural Director of the National Tertiary Office and her extensive experience of the sector make her very well placed to succeed in breaking down barriers between FE and HE.

Mr Paul Hannigan Head of College ATU Donegal 21 February 2023 P a g e | 3