Higher Education Minister Simon Harris has announced the creation of a working group – chaired by the president of the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) – to examine how to enhance student wellbeing.
The group’s remit is to refine and implement strategies to “enhance learner engagement and wellbeing”.
Representatives from colleges, further education and training partners and representatives from community education will also be part of the group.
The government and the third-level sector is currently grappling with how to keep students engaged with their studies, as universities have been forced online due to the coronavirus pandemic.
In November, the Irish Times reported that the Department of Higher Education pushed for increased in-person teaching next semester, as fears mounted about drop out numbers increasing
Harris said that his “priority going into the new year will be in increasing on-campus activity as much as we can and as safely as we can”, specifically targeting vulnerable groups that are more likely to drop out.
He added that “we want to create new ways to promote small-scale, in-person contact, especially peer engagement, for new entrants to further and higher education, especially for students and learners that may be living away from home for the first time and those who may be at risk of dropping out”.
These plans were largely abandoned, however, after the number of coronavirus cases spiked over the Christmas period. Universities have now been told to limit teaching on campus to classes that must take place in person.
In a press statement, Harris said: “This has been an extraordinarily difficult time for our students and learners, and it is having a massive impact on their wellbeing.”
“I know there are many students with assessments in the coming weeks who are enormously stressed and I am keenly aware of the depth of the challenges they have been facing.”
“As we move forward in our overall response to the pandemic, a working group will be established by my department, chaired by USI, dedicated to identifying, refining and implementing strategies to enhance learner engagement and wellbeing.”
“I want students and learners right across third level education to know that it won’t be the way it is now forever; we will get back to a more normal, more interactive experience but in the meantime, if you are finding it difficult, please reach out and seek assistance.”
