Commitments and actions for a safe return to on-site further and higher education

Institutions and providers commit to:

• developing and implementing plans to significantly increase on-site teaching, learning, assessment and research
• enabling a return to a holistic experience including activities and services for students, learners and staff
• enabling all learners to participate, especially vulnerable learners
• ensuring that all learners across all areas have a significant scheduled period of on-site learning
• appropriate provisions for vulnerable staff, students and learners who are medically unsuitable for vaccination in accordance with public health advice
• continuing to ensure the quality of educational and research activity
• continuing appropriate mitigating actions
• addressing backlogs and deferred learning outcomes

QQI commits to:

• assuring the quality of provision including the significant increases in on-site provision

SOLAS/HEA commit to

• working with the sectors to identify resources and support securing them

Stakeholder bodies commit to:

• engaging with institutions and providers to achieve significant increases to on-site teaching, learning, assessment and research, to progress mitigating actions and to address backlogs
• engaging with institutions to ensure consistency in on-site activity within their sector

DFHERIS commits to:

• engaging with Government to represent the needs of the sector
• developing a funding proposal for agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the sector in responding to specific costs and particular issues arising from the impact of the pandemic on the tertiary sector and students. The proposal, building on the funding provided in 2020 under the COVID-19 support package is intended to help enable the return to substantial onsite activity under this Plan
• supporting the sector in developing guidelines
• working with stakeholders to clarify the transitions process for first year entry to enable planning

Institutions and providers commit to:

An expanded Discretionary Framework, significantly on-site, that provides for:

• carefully managed increases in on-site provision and research activities for the summer period
• phased and incremental returns in September 2021
• providing appropriate blended learning options as determined through engagements
• continuing to use the Adaptation Framework
• ongoing risk assessments
• making the best use of autonomy and adaptability to meet the needs of learners
• maintaining consistency with the principles and framework laid out in this Plan, noting the considerable variation in scale, complexity and diversity of institutions across further and higher education
• stakeholder engagement through stakeholder fora and other institution and provider structures
• continuing special institutional and provider governance structures for COVID-19
• participating in the D/FHERIS structure for COVID-19

Stakeholder bodies commit to:

• engaging with institutions and providers on the development and implementation of the Discretionary Framework and Adaptation Framework
• engaging through stakeholder groups and other engagement structures
• participating in the D/FHERIS structure for COVID-19

DFHERIS commits to:

• continuing to review the COVID-19 governance structure to ensure its relevance
• supporting stakeholder fora
• supporting the sector in developing an expanded Discretionary Framework

Institutions and providers commit to:

• updating sectoral guidelines
• compliance with general public health requirements
• developing and keeping up-to-date a COVID-19 response plan
• supporting the work of public health authorities nationally and locally
• compliance with sector specific and local public health requirements
• adjusting on-site attendance if necessary due to changes in public health advice

SOLAS/HEA commit to:

• working with the sectors to identify resources and support securing them

DFHERIS commits to:

• engaging with Public Health Authorities for the sector
• working with the sector and public health authorities to update practical guidance
• developing a funding proposal for agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the sector in responding to specific costs and particular issues arising from the impact of the pandemic on the tertiary sector and students. The proposal, building on the funding provided in 2020 under the COVID-19 support package is intended to help enable the return to substantial onsite activity under this Plan

Institutions and providers commit to:

• expanding sectoral protocols for outbreak management
• strong engagement with local public health authorities
• strong engagement with other public authorities
• close cooperation with staff, students and learners

Stakeholder bodies commit to:

• engaging with institutions and providers to deal with outbreaks

DFHERIS commits to:

• enabling the sector and public health authorities to update the foundations for outbreaks protocols

Institutions and providers commit to:

Developing a sectoral scheme for COVID-19 vigilance for staff, students and learners on-site and online to include:

The promotion and implementation of standard public health measures in accordance with public health advice including:

• hand hygiene and dispensers
• sanitary hygiene
• respiratory hygiene
• cleaning
• ventilation of indoor spaces
• the wearing of face masks at all times in indoor on-site shared settings
• the promotion of vaccination and support for the vaccination programme rollout
• managed movement on-site including entry and egress to buildings and large indoor settings and minimising the convergence of students and learners before, during and after scheduled on-site activity
• timetable adjustments as necessary to reduce the numbers on-site at any one time
• support for PCR testing pathways for symptomatic students, learners and staff
• encouraging and ensuring symptomatic or tested positive students, learners and staff to self-isolate
• support for tracking and tracing mechanisms
• on foot of the recently published HSA Protocols and feasibility studies in train, sectors will begin preparing for a scheme for the operation of rapid antigen testing
• engagement with local and national public health advice and guidance

SOLAS/HEA commit to:

• working with the sectors to identify resources and support securing them

Stakeholder bodies commit to:

• engage with institutions and providers to support vigilance

DFHERIS commits to:

• enable the sector and public health authorities to develop the foundations for sectoral vigilance schemes

Guiding Principles

• “When we know, you know.” Plans, guidance and policies will be communicated as far in advance as possible, recognising that public health advice is subject to change and that some uncertainty will always exist
• the safety of our staff, students and learners is paramount

Institutions and providers commit to:

• timely communications with staff, students and learners. If there is a reason for delay or uncertainty, that reason will be communicated
• close engagement with each other and with public health to ensure that communications are consistent and evidence-based
• close engagement with DFHERIS to support and inform national communications
• clear communications to students and learners on the increases in on-site activities that they can expect

Stakeholder bodies commit to:

• close engagement to ensure that communications are consistent and evidence-based
• develop specific but aligned messaging for members

DFHERIS commits to:

• timely communication with stakeholders and institutions
• supporting institutions in developing communications materials
• communicating the plan nationally and internationally, and in support of institutions

International Students and Researchers

Institutions and providers commit to:

Developing an agreed sector-wide protocol with key principles of assurance for Government that the arrival of international students and researchers for the next academic year will be managed in a safe manner in accordance with the most up-to-date public health advice. This protocol will include measures such as pre departure and post arrival training and symptoms checking or testing, measures to implement specific public health accommodation requirements, and the provision of medical and pastoral care services for international students and researchers.

DFHERIS commits to:

Working with the sector and across government departments to seek to address the challenges that international students and researchers will face when planning their study/research trip and on arrival into Ireland. These challenges include, but are not limited to, immigration issues and the implications of public health measures for international students.

Student accommodation

Institutions and providers commit to:

• timely communication with students and learners on timetabling and on-site attendance to enable decision making on accommodation
• close engagement with each other and with public health to ensure that safety is paramount in managing accommodation
• where possible developing accommodation offerings that align with timetabling approach (that is, flexibility in offerings)
• providing refunds to students and learners in the event institution owned accommodation is vacated on public health grounds

DFHERIS commits to:

• working with the sector and public health authorities to enable a safe increase in the numbers using student accommodation
• timely communication with institutions
• developing a funding proposal for agreement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the sector in responding to specific costs and particular issues arising from the impact of the pandemic on the tertiary sector and students. The proposal, building on the funding provided in 2020 under the COVID-19 support package is intended to help enable the return to substantial onsite activity under this Plan

Research

Institutions and Providers commit to:

• enabling full access to on-site research facilities and support services
• research laboratories and work-spaces operating up to maximum occupancy where local risk assessment determines that the appropriate levels of ventilation and protection are provided
• addressing backlogs
• using the responses to the forthcoming results of the StudentSurvey.ie PGR COVID-19 questions to better understand the challenges faced by research students
• supporting researcher and research student wellbeing

DFHERIS commits to:

• engaging with Government to represent sectoral research matters
• working with the Department of Health to address specific research challenges, for example, servicing of research equipment
• working with the sectors to identify resourcing issues