The National Recognition of Prior Learning in Higher Education Project together with the Technological University of Dublin’s Enterprise Academy invite you to ‘Navigating the RPL Journey: Engaging with Employers’ to explore and discuss: 

• How higher education staff are using RPL to address a range of challenges faced by employers, including skills gaps and talent development, and;
• Why this work is critically important for developing career pathways and life-long learning opportunities.
• This is a unique opportunity to hear from distinguished guest speakers across enterprise and learning, providing case studies of RPL in action both in Ireland and internationally. 
  
  

 

Hear from:

• Dr. Balzhan Orazbayeva, University Industry Innovation Network (Keynote Speaker)
  Dr. Balzhan Orazbayeva is UIIN's Strategic Initiatives Manager. She designs inventive training and consultancy solutions for more engaged and entrepreneurial universities. With research expertise in university-business collaboration and social innovation, she has led training programs on valorisation, pathways to impact, entrepreneurial universities, and the future of higher education. Balzhan also co-edits 'The Future of Universities' book series and drives the development of new training programs for the global UIIN community. Balzhan holds a doctoral degree from VU Amsterdam, where she focused on the engagement of academics and businesses in education-driven university-business collaboration.
  
  
• Claire Mc Gee, IBEC - Head of Education and Innovation Policy
  Claire McGee is Head of Education and Innovation Policy for Ibec. Claire's role is to promote  business and industry priorities in supporting the education system to respond to the changing world of work and society, and boost Ireland’s capacity for innovation.  She is a board member of the National Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher Education and of the National Council of Curriculum and Assessment, in addition to supporting many agency and government initiatives on skills, education, research and innovation.
  
  
• Hugh McAtamney, TU Dublin Enterprise Academy with Screen Ireland
  Hugh lMcAtamney leads the Enterprise Academy's collaboration in the Creative & Cultural sector. Before joining the Enterprise Academy, Hugh spent eight years as Head of the TU Dublin School of Media where he cultivated deep links with the screen industry and developed industry-relevant programmes at all levels. He continues this work in collaboration with Screen Ireland to support their goal in providing new accredited pathways into the screen industry.  
  
  
• Susan Forseille, Director of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Thompson Rivers University, Canada
  Susan Forseille has worked for 23-years at the intersections of prior learning, education, and career development. She has had the privilege of working as the Director of PLAR (prior learning assessment and recognition) at Thompson Rivers University, Canada since 2018. Recent research has been focussed on PLAR persistence, decolonizing PLAR, micro-credential assessment, and how PLAR impacts career development. She is a passionate PLAR advocate and proud to serve on both the Canadian Association of Prior Learning Board (CAPLA) and the British Columbia Prior Learning Action Network (BCPLAN). Most recently she was honoured to accept a position on the editorial board of Prior Learning Inside Out (PLAIO).

 

Hear from:

• Chris McCarron is a Business Process Consultant at Optum Ireland and an RPL Learner. In 2023, Chris successfully completed a Bachelor of Science in Applied Data Technologies at ATU Donegal. We will share how RPL has been beneficial to him in enhancing his knowledge and progressing his career.
  
  
• Christine McCabe is the RPL Coordinator for Atlantic Technological University (ATU) Donegal and project lead on the National RPL in Higher Education Project. Christine is an experienced further and higher education professional, particularly in facilitating access and progression to education for marginalised and adult learners. She has recently facilitated ATU’s first cohort of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) for Enterprise learners, demonstrating the effective use of RPL to allow access to a higher education programme for cohorts of employees. In collaboration with an enterprise partner and the Department of Computing at ATU, RPL has been used to allow for a number of whole programme intakes in ATU Donegal. 
  
  
• Colman Farrell is an award-winning education innovator and social entrepreneur. He co-founded SUAS Educational Development and the School for Social Entrepreneurs Ireland, before joining the Innovation Academy at University College Dublin. Now as Head of Skills at Screen Ireland, he leads a team supporting the development of technical, creative, entrepreneurial and innovation skills in the film, tv, animation and gaming sectors.  

  Colman is an advocate of new ways of learning and ecosystem approaches that enable learners and communities to realise their full potential as creatives, innovators, leaders and entrepreneurs in a flourishing, inclusive, sustainable society.  

• Prof Brian Bowe: As Head of TU Dublin Academic Affairs, Brian leads a team responsible for: quality assurance and enhancement; learning, teaching and assessment support, development, and innovation; academic information systems; academic governance and the development of academic policies. Digital Education, Academic Integrity and Education Innovation Projects are also key focus areas for Academic Affairs.

Dr. Balzhan Orazbayeva UIIN Navigating the RPL Journey TU Dublin presentation 16 January 2024

 

 

Susan Forseille Director of Prior Learning Assessment and Recognition, Thompson Rivers University, Canada Navigating the RPL Journey TU Dublin presentation 16 January 2024

 

Claire McGee ibec - Head of Education and Innovation Policy Navigating the RPL Journey TU Dublin 16 January 2024 presentation

 

Hugh McAtamney Senior Engagement Manager TU Dublin Navigating the RPL Journey 16th January 2024 Presentation

 

 

This unique event aims to ‘deep dive’ into the practicalities and success factors from a higher education perspective as well as hearing about demand-side drivers from employers. 

Learn from case studies:

• TU Dublin and Screen Ireland
• A Perspective from Canada on RPL 

Keynote speaker Dr. Balzhan Orazbayeva, University Industry Innovation Network will present Positioning RPL in the Landscape of Higher Education & University-Business Cooperation.

 

 

About the National Recognition of Prior Learning ProjectThe National Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) in Higher Education Project is a five-year project, funded by the Human Capital Initiative Pillar 3 (Innovation and Agility) and co-sponsored by the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) and the Irish Universities Association (IUA). The project has three main aims, which are: 

• to continue to embed, streamline and promote RPL, particularly the recognition of non-formal and informal learning, across the sector in a manner that is coherent and consistent;
• to work with employers to increase access and progression opportunities in areas of skills needs;
• to enhance the sector’s capacity to operate RPL by developing useful tools, materials, resources and professional development opportunities for staff. 

The project is co-ordinated by a Project Management Office based in THEA, with 18 Project Leads leading the roll out of the project across 14 Technological Universities, Universities and Institutes of Technology. 

Strategic guidance is provided by the Project Steering Group which draws its membership from senior sectoral leaders, enterprise and learner representatives, and national and international RPL experts.                                                                                                                                                                                   
Our rapidly changing world calls for more opportunities to learn, unlearn and relearn throughout our entire lifetime to enhance our individual fulfilment, social cohesion and economic prosperity. Increasingly, the national and international community acknowledge that lifelong learning is key to addressing the multiple social and economic challenges faced by humanity. Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) is a key enabler of lifelong learning and makes visible and gives formal value to learning that has been acquired in a range of contexts, and at various stages in a person’s life. Valuing and recognising learning, regardless of where it has occurred (e.g. in the workplace, community settings, the home, etc.), can significantly improve an individual’s self-esteem and well-being, opening new learning opportunities and strengthening employability. 

Funded under the Irish Government’s Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3 (Innovation and agility), this ambitious 5-year (2020- 2025) €6.9m project has transformative potential for Ireland’s education system to become an international leader in the field. Our vision is that RPL will be an integral part of the higher education system, widely understood and utilised as a flexible pathway to further learning, certification, and professional development. 

 

The RPL application process typically has 5 ‘stages’:

1. Information: This is where applicants find out about what RPL opportunities exist in a higher education institution and how the process works. 
2. Identification: Applicants are asked to explore their experiences and learning to date with a view to making an RPL application.
3. Documentation: Applicants undertake a reflective process and gather relevant materials to support their application. Some examples of materials may be CV’s and job descriptions.
4. Assessment: The application is then assessed by a staff member in the higher education institution. A range of assessment mechanisms may be used including portfolios, interviews, essays or examinations.
5. Certification: If successful, the learner will receive formal recognition or certification which can lead to: 

• Credit towards an award or exemption from some programme modules
• Advanced entry to a programme
• Entry to a programme

In some higher education institutions, RPL may also be used to gain a full academic award. The availability of full awards is at the discretion of each higher education institution. 

 

See some great examples of RPL in action with enterprise at some of our partner institutes.

 

About TU Dublin Enterprise Academy 

The Enterprise Academy offers a single-access point for enterprise to partner with TU Dublin on their talent development and long-term skills strategy. We work with enterprises across all sectors and business types to create flexible, scalable, accredited solutions that address sector-specific, cross-sector and transversal skill needs. Our work is informed by the latest research on future skills and relevant frameworks such as micro-credentials, mentoring, Work-Based Learning and Recognition of Prior Learning, as well as key drivers of change such as sustainability and digital transformation.

The Enterprise Academy is supported by Convene, a collaborative project with TU Dublin and UCD funded by the Irish Government’s Human Capital Initiative under Pillar 3 – Innovation and Agility.

TU Dublin RPL Case Study 

The TU Dublin BA in Journalism studies (RPL) was carried out in partnership with TU Dublin School of Media and enabled experienced journalists to upgrade their diploma in journalism into a B.A Journalism degree with credit given for prior learning. This programme allowed professional journalists obtain a degree qualification in journalism on a part-time basis while still working in the industry.

Read the full case study here.

See About the Enterprise Academy for more on what we do.

This event is free but you must register your place on Eventbrite. Click on the link below to reserve your spot.

The event is located in TU Dublin Grangegorman in the East Quad on the Ground Floor in EQ-002.

Where are we located?

The University's Grangegorman Campus is located in Dublin 7, about 1 km from Dublin City Centre. The campus is surrounded to the south-east by Smithfield, to the west by Stoneybatter, north by Cabra, to the north and east by Phibsborough / Broadstone. Our Eircode is D07H6K8. View our location on Google Maps.

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