Dr Claire Hamilton, Senior Lecturer in Law at Maynooth University Department of Law, will be attending a Royal Irish Academy seminar on the Role, Value and Scale of Higher Education in Ireland on behalf of the RIA Social Sciences Committee.
The Academy will convene a consultation forum for the academic community in Academy House, Dawson Street on Monday, 23 March, 2015, 10.30am - 3.00pm.
The purpose of this forum is to consider the first consultation paper from the Expert Group ‘The Role, Value and Scale of Higher Education in Ireland’ which examines the role and contribution of higher education to societal and economic development in Ireland and questions how this contribution can be protected and enhanced as the system continues to grow and develop. This forum is part of a series of consultations being undertaken by the Expert Group to inform its deliberations.
The forum will be opened by Mr Peter Cassells, Chair of the Department of Education and Skills Expert Group on Future Funding Options for Higher Education at 11am and conclude at 3.00pm. The forum will be organised into a panel format addressing four distinct themes; A Quality Student Experience, Supporting Innovation, Meeting Labour Market Needs and Making Access More Equitable. At the beginning of each panel session Dr Rory O’Donnell, Director of NESC and lead author of the consultation paper will set the surrounding context for each theme.
The panellists will discuss their roles and experiences within the higher education system. The forum is intended to be a multilateral exercise in which all parties are active and equal participants in the discussion. A key part of the forum will be the discussion sessions following each panel presentation and the overall discussion session at the end.
The Academy will produce a report on the key themes and issues that have been highlighted by those who participated in the forum.