Higher education in further education

Northern Ireland’s Further Education Colleges have been delivering Higher Education (HE in FE) courses in Northern Ireland since the 1980s and the six Further Education Colleges now deliver the vast majority of intermediate level Higher Education provision.

HE in FE provision

HE in FE provision covers a wide range of subject areas and primarily takes the form of Foundation Degrees, Higher National Diplomas and Higher National Certificates. These Intermediate level Higher Education qualifications are seen as essential to the future development of the economy as there is good evidence to suggest that the skills gap is most acute at the level that is represented by Higher Education qualifications below degree level.

HE in FE provides “close-to-home” and flexible delivery options for learners from communities who might otherwise face significant barriers to participating in Higher Education and in doing so plays an important role in helping the Department realise its Widening Participation vision that any qualified individual in Northern Ireland should be able to gain access to higher education that is right for them, irrespective of their educational or social background or location of study. The provision of HE in FE also plays a key role in supporting other Departmental strategies including ‘Success through Skills – Transforming Futures the Skills Strategy for Northern Ireland’ and ‘Further Education Means Business’ and the forthcoming Higher Education Strategy for Northern Ireland.

Foundation Degrees

The Department is particularly committed to the expansion of Foundation degrees and has given them a key role within the skills agenda with a view to establishing them as the dominant sub-degree provision within the Further Education sector and as such Foundation degrees play a central role in supporting the Departmental priorities outlined above.