From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris has today announced the appointment of 10 Ordinary Members to the Board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
The Board is collectively responsible for leading and directing the HEA’s activities. It provides strategic guidance to the HEA executive team and monitors the activities and effectiveness of management.
The Board is key in delivering the provisions of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 (HEA Act 2022) which introduces reform in the higher education sector 50 years after the establishment of the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
This reform aims to strengthen institutional governance to support excellent, well-governed, autonomous higher education institutions which meet the needs of students and contributes to social, economic, cultural and environmental development and sustainability.
Speaking today, Minister Harris said:
“The HEA Board has a really important role in the oversight of higher education institutions and the overall success of the tertiary education system.
“As the main funding and regulatory body for higher education, the HEA is involved in a number of significant activities.
“These include ensuring compliance with governance requirements across the higher education sector; the provision of funding for all publicly funded institutions; monitoring the performance of publicly funded institutions; supporting equality, diversity and inclusion in the sector; planning and development of the sector and providing advice to the Minister.
“The board has a key role in ensuring the HEA creates a higher education and research system that meets the needs of students and contributes to social, economic, cultural and sustainable development.
“I wish the new members the very best in their roles and I have no doubt that they will make a valuable contribution to the work of the HEA.
“I want to thank the outgoing members for their dedication and time during their terms on the HEA Board.”
The ordinary members appointed to the HEA Board are:
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is the statutory agency responsible for higher education (including higher education research) in Ireland to ensure that a high quality higher education and research system is in place which meets the needs of students and contributes to social, economic, cultural and sustainable development. The HEA is also the statutory funding authority for the universities, technological universities, institutes of technology and other higher education providers and is the advisory body to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research Innovation and Science (DFHERIS) in relation to the higher education sector. The HEA also has responsibility for the oversight of higher education institutions and the higher education system. As such the HEA is the lead organisation for the development of a higher education and research system that meets the needs of Irish society and the Irish economy and is accountable to the Minister for that leadership. The HEA and DFHERIS agree an annual service level agreement.
A key aim of the HEA is to create a higher education system that maximises opportunities and ensures a high quality experience for students.
The HEA was established in 1972 by the Higher Education Authority Act 1971. The Higher Education Authority Act 2022 replaced the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 and the new Act provides for a more detailed list of functions and objectives, which reflects the expanded role of the HEA since its establishment.
The Objects which the HEA is required to have regard to when performing its functions are set out in Section 8 of the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 and include to:
The functions of the HEA are set out in section 9 of the Higher Education Authority Act, 2022.
The key themes from the 2022 Act include:
Further details on the HEA may be obtained from the HEA website.
The Board of the HEA is responsible for the performance of the functions of the HEA and may delegate any of the functions to the Chief Executive Officer, other than the reserved functions. The Board is responsible for setting the broad strategy and policies for the organisation and for the general oversight of the Higher Education sector. The HEA’s most recent statement of strategy for 2018 - 2022 may be found here. The HEA is currently working on a new Corporate Strategic Plan. The Board is also responsible for the system of internal control and for putting in place processes and procedures for ensuring that the system is effective. It performs these functions directly and through the operation of specific Board Committees in accordance with approved Terms of Reference. Responsibility for the implementation of policy rests with the Chief Executive Officer of the HEA. The Board is responsible for the long term success of the HEA. The Board also has a statutory role in the oversight of the Higher Education sector, including the approval of certain remedial measures that may be imposed.
HEA Board members are required to provide an annual Statement of Interests to the Standards in Public Office Commission and the Secretary to the Board. The HEA is not a sectoral Board and members do not represent one particular interest or area over another, rather their fiduciary duty is to the HEA.
The following matters are reserved to the Board under S. 15 (3) of the HEA Act 2022 which states the Board shall:
(a) oversee the preparation and adoption of the corporate plan of An tÚdarás1 under section 20 and the annual plan of An tÚdarás under section 21 and their submission to the Minister,
(b) satisfy itself that appropriate systems, procedures and practices are in place:
(i) to achieve the objects of An tÚdarás,
(ii) for the internal performance management and accountability of An tÚdarás in respect of:
(I) the performance of its functions,
(II) the achievement of the objectives in the corporate plan under section 20, and
(III) the achievement of the performance targets in the annual plan under section 21,
and
(iii) in order to enable compliance with the policies (whether contained in guidelines, codes or other documents, or any combination of them) of the government or a Minister of the government to the extent that those policies may affect or relate to the functions of An tÚdarás,
and
(c) establish and implement arrangements for the management of the performance of the Chief Executive Officer.
In addition to the above, the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies provides a framework for the application of best practice in corporate governance by both commercial and non-commercial State bodies and also sets out information on the duties and responsibilities of Chairpersons, Boards and Directors of State companies.
The process for these appointments was managed by the Public Appointments Service on behalf of the department.