News

IT Carlow Signs Formal ‘Access to Higher Education’ Agreement with Laois and Offaly ETB

12/01/2015

IT Carlow signed a formal agreement with Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board (ETB) to ensure greater access to Higher Education.

A Memorandum of Agreement signed with Laois and Offaly ETB will, from herein, allow students in the Laois and Offaly Further Education colleges “enhanced progression” into Higher Education programmes at the Institute via a defined IT Carlow transition to Higher Education initiative.  The initiative is primarily focused on the areas of Computing and Engineering but will also enable access to courses in Science, Business and Humanities.

This agreement reflects the National Strategy for Higher Education’s vision for improved links from Further Education to Higher Education and IT Carlow’s own strategic commitments to providing greater access to and easing the transition to Higher Education.

Mr. Joe Cunningham, CEO, Laois and Offaly ETB welcomed the signing, saying: “This agreement will strengthen the strong working relationship developed with IT Carlow in recent years. It will provide defined and enhanced opportunities for our students to progress to higher education courses where the necessary support are in place to help this transition. The initial focus on courses in Computing and Engineering is in line with future skills needs and we very much look forward to developing the linkage in the coming years.”

“Over 25% of our current first-year intake came from Further Education backgrounds so this formal agreement between IT Carlow and Laois and Offaly ETB builds on this to ensure even greater opportunities and assistance for students in the pathway from Further Education to Higher Education particularly in the areas of Engineering and Computing”, commented Dr. Patricia Mulcahy, President, IT Carlow.

Laois and Offaly ETB was established on 1 January 2013 as part of the amalgamation of the former VECs of Laois and Offaly. In addition to post-primary provision it has responsibility for Further Education and Training provision in Laois and Offaly. It currently has 13,000 students enrolled on full-time and part-time programmes in 16 Centres across the two counties.

Since its founding in 1970, IT Carlow has generated more than 40,000 graduates. It currently ranks as the 4th largest of Ireland’s 14 Institutes with almost 7,000 enrollments. IT Carlow is the Sunday Times 2014 Institute of Technology of the Year.

Pic Caption:
Pictured at the signing of Memoranda of Agreement between IT Carlow and Laois & Offaly ETB to ensure greater access to Higher Education were (front from left): Dr. Patricia Mulcahy, President, IT Carlow; Joe Cunningham, CEO, Laois and Offaly ETB. Back, from left: David Denieffe, Registrar, IT Carlow and Tony Dalton, Director of Further Education and Training Services, Laois and Offaly ETB

-ENDS-

For further information:
Alma Feeley, Communications Dept., IT Carlow, t: 059 9175098/087 8204934 |  e: alma.feeley@itcarlow.ie