Congratulating all students who underwent the leaving cert examination in 2018, Dr Joseph Ryan, CEO of the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) stated: “In particular, we welcome all students who will be receiving offers from the fourteen Institutes of Technology today.
“The technological higher education sector is undergoing enormous positive development. It will evolve over the coming years, as a result of the Technological Universities Act, to comprise 4 technological universities and 4 stand-alone autonomous Institutes of Technology. The first technological university will be designated in January 2019 in Dublin when DIT, IT Tallaght and IT Blanchardstown come together formally to become Technological University Dublin. Therefore we particularly welcome new first year students to the three Dublin-based Institutes of Technology as they will graduate from the Technological University Dublin. Consortia of Institutes of Technology in the South East, the South West and in Connaught Ulster are actively working together to submit three further applications for designation of University status in these regions.
“Our sector continues to be unique in terms of the progression routes that we offer students. The inclusion of traditional apprenticeship programmes, new apprenticeship programmes, levels 6 and 7, along with level 8 degrees and levels 9 and 10 postgraduate qualifications ensure that students entering the sector at any level, either through the CAO or otherwise, can progress through to the very highest level of educational attainment under the National Framework of Qualifications. We look forward to an exciting future and to welcoming our new first year students into the technological higher education sector.”
