There are 38 Area-Based Partnership Companies in Ireland, addressing the problems of disadvantage, poor economy and marginalisation in their area.
Each Company employs an Education Co-ordinator, and these people have formed a network in order to share information, lobby with regard to issues, and promote models of good practice in matters of Education, Training, Re-skilling etc.
18 of the Companies have a distinctly rural base and recently the Education Co-ordinators from these decided to conduct a survey on access to Higher Education in Rural Areas.
Mary Lyne of South Kerry Partnership and Frank Scott of Meitheal Mhaigheo, encouraged by Jacqui Riordan of HEEU, designed, and distributed among their rural Colleagues, a questionnaire to elicit information on access to Higher Education in local areas.
The survey found that:
Rural Partnerships have areas in which there is no higher level education provision mostly due to geographical marginalisation, lack of numbers and little or no promotion. Some of the issues which were highlighted in relation to access and provision of Higher Education in rural areas are outlined below.
Nine Rural Partnerships reported issues regarding Higher Level Access/provision, these being;
Other factors that discouraged people from taking up courses were lack of information and a cynical view, by prospective participants, of the actual value of courses and their certification.
Several of the Partnerships were aware of Distance Learning Courses being availed of in their areas. The providers were NUI &endash; particularly NUIG, The Open University, Queens College and University of Limerick. The most popular courses were Social Care and Open University degree courses.
Most Higher Education institutions have recently appointed Access Officers and as these liaise with Partnership Companies and other agents the quality and efficiency of access and the dissemination of relevant information regarding provision, entry and support will be greatly enhanced.
The results of the survey are currently being collected and analysed. These will be compiled in a report which will be submitted to the relevant authorities and made available to interested parties.
If you are interested in getting involved in further investigation into these issues please contact Jacqui O’Riordan at the HEEU. Tel: 021 903566; e-mail jacquior@ucc.ie