This overview of higher education in Ireland outlines the major challenges facing the sector and identifies some specific steps to progress. It centres on people, who are at the heart of everything that universities are about and must be given every opportunity to realise their potential and that of the nation.

The number of students with long regular commutes to college is growing. Reasons include an increasing number and changing mix of students participating in higher education, a shortfall in appropriate and affordable student accommodation, and the recent cost-of-living crisis. But does it matter and, if so, what can and should be done to address it?

Micro-credentials have the potential to address the lifelong learning needs of the Irish workforce, where over half of 25–34-year-olds already have a third-level qualification, allowing institutions to provide affordable, stackable, and focused awards to address the rapidly changing needs of technological, economic, and social transformations. This article reflects on current developments of micro-credentials across the sector and explores their potential to support the workforce of the future.

This article gives a brief overview of autistic student engagement in mainstream higher education: the challenges they experience and the support they receive. Are autistic students receiving the support they need? Is it enough? Anecdotal and observational evidence indicates that autistic students do not feel fully supported, which impacts on their learning experience.

Our study explores the perspectives of female professors in Irish business schools, emphasising their crucial informal leadership roles. These professors, having risen through the academic ranks, become role models for junior female academics. The study shows they feel a deep responsibility to mentor younger academics, especially women, and to challenge and change established norms in academia. They not only support their mentees but also actively work towards creating a more inclusive and gender-balanced academic environment.

The article proposes a conceptual framework to guide the development of governance structures as part of designing a new academic council in an Irish technological university. The framework addresses the different academic activities that take place, risk levels, decision-making uncertainty, and responsibility. It may be of interest to other universities and institutions looking to examine or reshape their governance structures.

The Covid-19 pandemic affected 1.2 million students in Ireland, with almost a quarter of a million in higher education studying remotely. It caused a shift in assessment design, from predominantly invigilated final exams to online assessment. Students at Dundalk Institute of Technology took part in a study to explore the student experience of undertaking final assessments online. This article outlines the key findings.

This article discusses how participation in an online community of practice (CoP) can play a crucial role in doctoral student support and provide a transformative learning experience that supports degree progress and completion. We share examples based on perspectives from Irish and American doctoral programmes. Engaging doctoral students in an online CoP may create better learners and leaders to navigate the complexities of life and work.

Despite increased legislation and accreditation requirements for teachers, most teacher education programmes do little to prepare teachers to build relationships with parents. This article contributes to this under-researched area. Findings inform how we could expand support for beginning teachers to develop their family engagement practices and the development of initial teacher education and continuing professional development courses to meet the new Céim standards.

Trauma awareness sessions were recently held in Cork, followed by a post-training survey. The study, approved by MTU Cork, found that 69% of participants lacked trauma training during initial teacher training or continuing professional development. Based on the data, a framework for trauma training was devised. This work aims to better support students with trauma experiences.

This article provides a case study about what works in co-creating an innovative, accredited programme between higher education and the voluntary sector. It shares examples of good practice in improving accessibility to higher education for first-generational learners. It analyses practical aspects of the partnership and summarises the outcomes of the co-created programme.

Irish higher-education institutions (HEIs), including technological universities, recognise the significance of attracting qualified academics, who have a profound impact on teaching, research, and community service. TUs should investigate the influence of the UK’s Further and Higher Education Act (1992) on HEIs in Ireland, especially regarding their human resources management systems since British polytechnics became universities from 1992.

Much work is being done to drive mental-health initiatives in higher education institutes. This article assesses the challenges and enablers of such an approach, considers its feasibility, and makes the case for embedding mental health across the curriculum at higher level in Ireland.

Postgraduate research can be both rewarding and lonely, and disabled postgraduates – who are under-represented in higher education – face unique barriers. Awareness of the impact of these barriers on disabled postgraduates’ participation is scant. This article details how a committed group have come together to increase the representation of disabled people at postgraduate level. It presents the elements that are needed to amplify the collective marginalised voice to enable change.

Inclusive and equitable access in education has been much discussed in recent years. At the same time, many technological challenges are affecting education, particularly developments in artificial intelligence. Building technological and educational solutions for historically marginalised groups can only result in better outcomes for everyone. This article explores challenges and opportunities we are encountering in preparing for inclusive innovation and designing educational solutions for all.