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The Higher Education Authority (HEA), officially An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas, is the
statutory body
A statutory body or statutory authority is a body set up by law (statute) that is authorised to implement certain legislation on behalf of the relevant country or state, sometimes by being empowered or delegated to set rules (for example reg ...
providing policy advice for
higher education
Higher education is tertiary education leading to award of an academic degree. Higher education, also called post-secondary education, third-level or tertiary education, is an optional final stage of formal learning that occurs after completi ...
in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
.
Description and functions
The HEA was established under the
Higher Education Authority Act 1971. Its official
Irish language
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...
name is An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas.
The HEA has a statutory responsibility for the effective governance of higher education in Ireland. It provides policy advice to the
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland ( ga, Rialtas na hÉireann) is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.
The Constitution of Ireland vests executive authority in a government which is headed by the , the head of government. The governm ...
across various aspects of the mission of higher education. According to their website, the aim of the HEA is "to create a coherent system of diverse institutions with distinct missions, which is responsive to the social, cultural and economic development of Ireland and its people and supports the achievement of national objectives".
The authority has a statutory responsibility, at central government level, for the governance and regulation of higher education institutions and the higher education system. The authority is responsible for the funding of Irish universities, institutes of technology and other third level colleges.
The HEA was responsible for administering the
Programme for Research in Third Level Institutions
The Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions (PRTLI) was an Irish Government programme that provided integrated financial support for research. It was administered by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
History and funding
The programm ...
(PRTLI), which provided funding for research from 1998 to around 2018.
Governance
the Chief Executive is Alan Wall.
The Chairperson of the Authority is Michael Horgan.
New governing act
, the Higher Education Authority Bill 2022 has passed through
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann ( , ; ) is the lower house, and principal chamber, of the Oireachtas (Irish legislature), which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann (the upper house).Article 15.1.2º of the Constitution of Ireland read ...
and is being debated in
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann (, ; "Senate of Ireland") is the upper house of the Oireachtas (the Irish legislature), which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann (the lower house).
It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its memb ...
. The new legislation is intended to
repeal
A repeal (O.F. ''rapel'', modern ''rappel'', from ''rapeler'', ''rappeler'', revoke, ''re'' and ''appeler'', appeal) is the removal or reversal of a law. There are two basic types of repeal; a repeal with a re-enactment is used to replace the law ...
and replace the Higher Education Authority Act 1971, and amend a number of other laws.
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See also
* Education in the Republic of Ireland
The levels of Ireland's education are primary education, primary, Secondary education, secondary and higher education, higher (often known as "third-level" or tertiary education, tertiary) education. In recent years further education has grown ...
* List of universities in the Republic of Ireland
Third-level education in the Republic of Ireland includes all education after second-level, encompassing higher education in universities and colleges and further education on Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) and other courses. The degree-awarding ...
* Irish Research Council
The Irish Research Council ( ir, An Chomhairle um Thaighde in Éirinn) was launched in 2012 and operates under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills. The core function of the organisation is to support research across a number ...
References
External links
*
{{Authority control
Educational organisations based in the Republic of Ireland
Higher education authorities
Regulation in Ireland
Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science