The Higher Education Colleges Association | Benefits of HECA Membership

HECA’s Principles & Values

HECA Values

HECA member colleges are:

Committed to excellence in the provision of high quality education and pastoral care.
Committed to a culture of professionalism, integrity, honesty and openness.
Committed to embracing diversity of membership.
Committed to individual opinions and the exchange of ideas, knowledge and expertise.

HECA Vision

HECA is:

Nationally and internationally recognised.
Stands for high quality programmes.
Is flexible, innovative and market responsives here.

HECA’s Purpose

HECA provides a forum to discuss common issues, concerns and opportunities to implement solutions.
HECA creates an environment that fosters sharing ideas, forming collaborations and instigating mutually beneficial initiatives.
HECA acts as a lobby and support group to serve common academic and commercial interests.
HECA provides a unified voice in government and legislative circles and seeks representation on key government committees and boards.

HECA’s Strategic Intent

Statutory and Regulatory Requirements

HECA works closely with all relevant accreditation and quality agencies
HECA member Colleges implement international best practice in quality assurance and oversight and are introducing a novel perspective on regulation into the Irish education sector through international accreditations.

Engagement with Wider Society

HECA member Colleges have become a destination of choice for employers seeking to meet industry needs
HECA member Colleges continue to promote the brand of Irish Education and private education overseas by seeking to attract significant numbers of international students

Research Innovation and Knowledge Trainer

HECA member Colleges are:
Establishing research and innovation initiatives in the following areas. The design and delivery of programming, professional training, regulation and compliance and teacher training and development. In achieving this, HECA member are:

Expanding and enhancing the annual HECA research based Conference
Seeking research funding from national and international funding agencies
Collaborating with other institutions for the purpose of research and innovation
Employing research dedicated staff
Promoting research by including research based KPIs in faculty performance appraisals

Quality of Teaching and Learning

HECA member Colleges are:

Developing innovative programme development and delivery practices with a particular emphasis on distance and blended learning
Recognised as offering the highest quality student experience through rigorous feedback, strong progression and completion rates and external recognition

Participation

HECA promotes increased enrolments to member Colleges through:

the provision of innovation programmes that attract a unique market to higher education
the provision of flexible access that enables learners with other life commitments to access higher education
seeking access for HECA students to a variety of State subsidised supports for third level students
contracting directly with the HEA to provide a range of cost-effective programming through specific funding programmes such as Bluebrick and Springboard, and as part of a widening of access to HEA funding generally.