Discussions are underway to collaborate on a new undergraduate degree programme that is being established by the National University of Ireland Galway (NUI Galway), according to Teagasc.
In an opening statement provided by Teagasc’s director of knowledge transfer Stan Lalor to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture and the Marine yesterday evening (Tuesday, May 25), Lalor outlined his organisation’s work on higher education programmes.
Regarding collaborative delivery arrangements with universities for undergraduate degree programmes, Lalor said that Teagasc has arrangements on two Level 8 degree programmes with University College Dublin (Bachelor of Agricultural Science – Dairy Business) and University College Cork (Agricultural Science Degree).
“Both have a student intake of 25 students annually. Students in the Dairy Business Degree programme in UCD attend Teagasc Moorepark for a full semester during the third year of the programme.
Students also undertake a practical work placement within the programme, often involving international travel. Students attend the Teagasc College at Kildalton in preparation for the work placement.
Turning to the more recently established UCC degree, Lalor said:
“The course delivery is divided approximately 50:50 between Teagasc and UCC, with Teagasc providing the agricultural and practical content, delivered primarily at Teagasc Moorepark and Clonakilty Agricultural College.
“Teagasc is also in discussions to collaborate of a new undergraduate degree programme that’s being established at NUIG,” Lalor said.
On arrangements with institutes of technology, Lalor said:
“Teagasc has a longstanding involvement with Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with the first linkage arising over 40 years ago with what is now Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).”
He added that Teagasc has collaborative arrangements primarily with the following six institutes of technology:
- Cork and Tralee ( now Munster Technological University);
- Dundalk;
- Galway-Mayo;
- Limerick; and
- Waterford.
Continuing, Lalor said that the students enrolled in undergraduate land sector programmes at these institutes attend a partner Teagasc college for delivery of the farm management, farm husbandry and sustainable farming aspects of their programmes.
“Annual enrolments to Teagasc linked Higher Education programmes stood at around 300 in 2010 but have typically exceeded 400 over recent years.
Graduates of these Teagasc linked higher education programmes are deemed to meet the educational qualifications pertaining to schemes and measures for young farmers, the director added.