Why Positive Access Policies in Higher Education can Contribute to Active Citizenship - Article on Irish Higher Education Access and Mature Students

Oct 15, 2026

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The article analyzes how Irish higher education can promote active citizenship by improving access and participation, with reference to policy reports including OECD (2004) and the European Year of Citizenship through Education. It reviews the role of adult education in building self-confidence, social awareness, and responsibility, and evaluates government targets for increasing mature student participation. It highlights Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) efforts, focusing on foundation studies and supports that strengthen mature learners’ confidence and community engagement, while outlining ongoing barriers such as finance, welfare policy changes, and childcare difficulties.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Citizenship and Higher Education

WIT Foundation Course

Current Difﬁculties

Why Positive Access Policies in Higher Education can Contribute to Active Citizenship Michael Lanigan Introduction This article deals with the role of Irish Higher Education (HE) in the context of the promotion of citizenship. It examines the circumstances in which Irish Higher Education currently operates in terms of access and participation with particular reference to the recent OECD Report (2004), Review of Higher Education in Ireland. The article will also highlight the efforts of the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) to promote access to Higher Education and the beneﬁts which accrue to mature students from engaging with such a process in terms of their self-conﬁdence, consciousness-raising and sense of citizenship. Citizenship and Higher Education The year 2005 has been designated the European Year of Citizenship through Education. The Government White Paper on Adult Education (2000), Learning For Life, refers to citizenship as follows: Citizenship refers to the role of adult education in enabling individual members of the society to grow in self-conﬁdence, social awareness and social responsibility and to take an active role in shaping the overall direction of the society– culturally, socially and economically and environmentally and to engage proactively in community and societal decision-making (p. 29) . On looking more closely at this reference one notices that this deﬁnition of citizenship hinges upon one precept, namely, that individual self-conﬁdence can be brought about through the adult education process. One would imagine, therefore, that anything society could do to promote or instil such a sense of self-conﬁdence in the individual would be one of its key priorities. Adult education has, according tothe State, an integral part to play in promoting citizenship. In the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (2000), the Government undertook to increase mature student participation in Higher Education to 15% of total student intake by the year 2005 and to maintain this level of intake in each subsequent year. However, this target has not been reached. It is against this background that adult education in the Higher Education sector operates. Recent changes in Government policy in the area of access to Higher Education for mature students since 2000 have severely impacted on potential mature student access. I would suggest that the current circumstances have made it more difﬁcult for mature students to gain access to higher education. The WIT experience would suggest that the lack of ﬁnance is one of the main reasons for adult learners failing to access and dropping out of Higher Education. In addition, Social Welfare initiatives designed to encourage participation, such as the Back To Education Initiative (BTEI) (formerly the Back To Education Allowance), and the Third Level Allowance (TLA) have been tinkered with to such an extent that potential students are ﬁnding it even moredifﬁcult togo to college. This situation is further exacerbated by the continuing difﬁculties in relation to childcare. One wonders how these practical realities for mature students can be reconciled with the aspirations and targets set out in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness. According to the OECD Education ata Glance: Policy Report,(1997), one of the reasons why Ireland has amongst the lowest mature student participation rates in the industrialised world is due to our traditional systems of access to Higher Education. The Irish system is sequential and offers limited alternative access for adults. The report shows that in 1995 Ireland had just 2% mature student participation compared to 19% in all other OECD countries. Having been a mature student myself, I understand only too well the difﬁculties faced by adults returning to education and embarking on a college course. I was fortunate enough tobe eligible for the ﬁnancial supports available and I am one of a group of staff in WIT attempting to address th

FAQs

How does the article link adult education to citizenship?

It explains that citizenship depends on adult education enabling individuals to build self-confidence, social awareness, and social responsibility, supporting proactive community and societal decision-making.

What barriers to mature student access does the article describe?

It highlights limited finance, policy changes affecting welfare initiatives that encourage participation, and continuing childcare difficulties that make college attendance harder.

What does the WIT Foundation Course aim to do for adult learners?

The course is designed to equip adult learners for higher education through self-discovery and empowerment, offering elective streams and support services like guidance, counselling, mentoring, and pastoral care.

Oct 15, 2026

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