Martin Shanahan opens academic year at DCU’s School of Education Studies

Martin Shanahan, speaking at yesterdays event

Martin Shanahan, Division Manager of Forfas, launched the opening of the academic year for DCU’s School of Education Studies yesterday. The event was attended by DCU President, Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski as well as staff and students of the School.

Martin Shanahan stressed the important role played by education and training today, particularly in the current economic climate.

The key messages of his talk were as follows:

• Education, training and what might be broadly termed human capital or skills developed is crucial for the future of the Irish economy and society.
• Higher education institutions have an important role to play in economic and societal development.
• Academic achievement in the arts, humanities and social sciences are equally as important as success in the natural and formal sciences. · We need continued investment in education and training from public and private sources.
• We need to ensure that the public money allocated to education and training is spent as effectively as it can be.
• The skills needs of the economy and society are changing and we need to continuously align our education and training provision with those skills needs.
• Individuals need to take responsibility for their education and training and life-long learning.

Carmel Mulcahy, Head of the School of Education Studies said “At DCU, our emphasis is on ensuring that all our graduates are prepared to work in a fast-changing environment. They are critical thinkers who understand what it is to live and work in an intercultural world and it is our aim that as educators and trainers, they will become leaders in education for sustainable development at environmental, societal and economic level. Opportunities must also be provided for continuing professional development and those in the workplace should be encouraged to engage in further study to ensure that we support the concept of truly learning organisations which can not just adapt to change but can initiate it. Further cuts to education and training budgets and cuts in the budget of course providers will have long term consequences and should be addressed urgently.