Last year saw a record 232,000 students enrolled in higher education institutes – an increase of 18 per cent on the figure in 2012.
The Minister for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, announced the findings from a report made by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). She welcomed the news in a press statement, saying: “The efforts of the Institutions in responding to demand and facilitating the increased number of students cannot be underestimated.”
Over 70,500 students graduated from higher education institutes in the last academic year, 49,000 of whom were undergraduates. The remaining 21,500 were postgraduates, representing an 8.5 per cent increase on the number in 2013/14.
The report found that 17 per cent of students are studying on a part-time basis, with a further 8,000 studying remotely.
Mitchell O’Connor said: “Higher Education is no longer a stepwise progression from school, the message that education is a lifelong pathway is gaining momentum.”
She commented on the uptake in the number of students undergoing apprenticeships, stating: “I would like to encourage young people considering their options over the coming weeks to fully explore all that is on offer, including apprenticeship opportunities.”
Mitchell O’Connor has been vocal in her support for apprenticeship training, and the government is aiming to double the number of apprentices registered by 2020. Last year’s budget saw an extra €150 million allocated to higher education and the government has to date invested €9.3 million in Ireland’s first technological university.
Despite the increase in the number of student enrolments, the higher education sector is still suffering from a lack of funding. The Cassells report, which outlined solutions for the funding crisis, stated that a €600 million investment per year would be necessary to ensure the survival of our universities.
