Action plan for higher education sector reform
Following publication of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, a number of proposed reforms have been brought forward for delivery in the higher education sector.
The Higher Education Sector Action Plan is one of nine sectoral action plans geared at delivering the reform agenda of the Public Service Agreement 2024-2026, which supports the framework for transformation as set out in Better Public Services: The Public Service Transformation 2030 Strategy and the Civil Service Renewal 2030 Strategy.
The action plan identifies four priorities, developed by management of the higher education sector in consultation with staff unions and associations, and is published by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
Supporting the delivery of the higher education strategies and reform plans
Outlining an ambition to deliver “continued cooperation, engagement and support” for the implementation of the strategic objectives for the higher education sector, the plan states that it will support students reaching their full potential and support the creation of a highly skilled workforce by further developing the technological university sector, including staffing structures.
A development of a policy platform “for a more unified tertiary sector” is aimed at ensuring the successful, efficient, and effectiveness of the technological university sector, including the integration of administrative processes across multicampus.
Finally, the higher education sector is required to assist with managing the national response to the challenges of climate change through cooperation and engagement with the sector’s sustainability agenda with a particular focus on energy efficiency and decarbonisation initiatives.
Continuing to enhance business, operational, policy changes to meet strategic objectives
The sector pledges to “cooperate and engage” with proposals that require flexible approaches to service delivery in “recognition of the unpredictable and fast-moving environment that we now operate in”.
Alongside the pledge to continue engage and support all employees to ensure good institutional governance, while addressing identified deficiencies, the sector says that it will provide cooperation and engagement on new and revised HR policies in support of ongoing change initiatives.
This aligns with an agreement to engage on agreeing revised working arrangements and/or practices to support improved and more accessible services and courses where a need is identified.
The plan states that the further development of internal efficiencies and good governance to improve the service to students and promote better public services more generally, as well as ensuring quality student learning experiences, will be met by the implementation of new measures to increase internal efficiencies and cooperation and engagement with associated changes to service delivery.
Embracing and supporting transformation through the use of technology
Aiming for the creation of efficiencies and synergies “that streamline operations and allow HEIs to focus on their core business and mission”, the plan says that the higher education sector will cooperate and engage with the unification of systems to streamline operations and participate in any relevant training required, while also continuing to engage and support transformation through the use of new technologies.
Build on previous commitments for an agile and flexible workforce and maximise flexible service delivery options
Alongside a pledge to support the mainstreaming of flexible learning opportunities in order to support inclusion and improved access to services, the plan says that the higher education sector will co-operate on the implementation of a full spectrum of online course delivery “that reflects the equality of experience for students”, including access to recorded lectures for a defined period of time.
Building on the achievements of the online provision of third level education experienced during Covid-19, the sector says it will develop new ways of working that take advantage of the benefits of blended working and remote delivery, and expand provision in key skills area, including through Human Capital Initiative 2.0.
In order to achieve this, the action plan sates that the sector will “sustain the spirit of public service agility and delivery and build on the commitments in previous agreements, apply the provisions set out in those agreements and to support the ongoing transformation of public services following consultation and agreement, where appropriate, with the unions concerned”.
Sectoral management will, in due course, report on the progress of delivery of the reforms identified in the action plans.
