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Call for Input: Higher Education Futures Taskforce

19 February 2021

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PDF icon Background document: Higher Educations Futures Taskforce call for input

The deadline for the Call for Input to inform and seek the views from stakeholders on key issues facing the higher education sector has been extended to the 5 March 2021.

The HE Futures Taskforce was established to consider how higher education can flourish, in a sustainable way and the Taskforce will consider how the higher education system, as well as the wider Irish society, can work collectively towards shared aims in the period to 2035. 

The HE Futures Taskforce has identified five priority themes which will be considered as part of the discussion and debate on the future development of higher education policy and practice on the island of Ireland.

As part of the broader HE Futures Project being undertaken by the Royal Irish Academy, subgroups have been established to focus on each of the five themes. These subgroups will consider the potential courses of action for the HE sector as a whole, and the need for all-island collaboration and initiatives, addressing the impact of COVID-19 and its aftermath, post-Brexit and future HE challenges, potential risks and opportunities. The five themes being considered are:

  • Vision and Value
  • Models of Higher Education
  • Regions and Place
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
  • Research and Innovation

Call for Input

This Call for Input (CFI) will address the wider societal role involved in higher education and to help identify how the all-island higher education system should evolve and position itself to meet changing societal needs and challenges, regionally, nationally and internationally. The CFI will be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders involved in the higher education sector.

Stakeholders are invited to provide inputs to the Taskforce under the five themes identified and respond to a set of focused questions related to each thematic area. Key questions have been highlighted to guide submissions, but respondents should feel free to go beyond these in their responses and to flag additional important issues which they feel should form part of the Taskforce’s deliberations.

Read the background document

Deadline for Submissions

Responses to the Call for Input must be submitted by 5 March 2021.   Please try to limit your responses to no more than 250 words per question. Answers should be completed on this submission form

Alternatively, you can submit your views, insights and reflections on the future of higher education on the island of Ireland to the following email: policy@ria.ie.

Submissions will be assessed and key issues will be identified. A series of roundtables will be held during the Spring 2021 to tease out the issues arising under each theme. The final report from the HE Futures Taskforce will include five position papers and a summative and integrated proposed framework for HE development across the island of Ireland which is expected to be published by late summer 2021.  

View members of the HE Futures Taskforce 

Please direct any queries to policy@ria.ie

Please refer to the Higher Education Futures Taskforce Privacy Statement, the RIA's Privacy page and the RIA's Jotform Transparency Statement, for any further information on our data protection practices please email dataprotection@ria.ie

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