The Higher Education Colleges Association (HECA) is an association of respected, independent, private providers of quality higher level education. The association was formed in 1991 to represent the interests of its member colleges and their students. HECA members currently provide higher education for approximately 19,000 students.

Current HECA membership comprises most of the major independent colleges in the country.  Membership is restricted to colleges meeting and abiding by stringent academic and operating regulatory criteria. The association also acts as a support group to serve the common academic and commercial interests of its members. All HECA members must currently deliver a Level 7 degree suitably aligned with the Irish National Framework of Qualifications and must comply with a mandatory bonding requirement which is monitored annually. The chair of the association is rotated annually. Meetings are held monthly and are rotated through member college venues.

HECA colleges offer a wide range of higher-level courses which provide an impressive mix of disciplines and generic skills which are consciously aligned to labour market needs.

As one of the official voices of independent third and fourth level education, HECA represents the independent colleges on:

• Department of Education & Skills - High Level Group on International Education
• Higher Education Authority – Springboard Advisory Group
• Irish Higher Education Quality Network (IHEQN) www.iheqn.ie
• Enterprise Ireland/Education in Ireland – India Trusted Agents Group

Students applying to HECA colleges have an assurance that their courses, qualifications and learning experience will be of the highest quality.  See also:HECA Quality Policy.

HECA holds an annual conference on higher education related topics which have included Quality Assurance, Education and the Law, and the Skilbeck Report.

HECA Conference Friday 20^th April 2012

Venue:  Dublin Business School, Castle House, South Great George’s Street, Dublin 2
Theme:  The Higher Education Agenda: Employability and Internationalisation

Conference Programme

Conference Videos

Welcome: Ms Sara McDonnell, Executive Vice-President, Hibernia College, Chairperson, HECA	Opening Address: Damien English, T.D., Chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Jobs, Social Protection and Education	Keynote Address: INTERNATIONALISATION - Mr John Hennessy, Chairman HEA, Chairman Ericsson Ireland
Keynote Address: ASSESSING FOR EMPLOYABILITY - Mr Kevin Jennings, Senior Learning Technology Designer, Google	Review: Parallel Session Presentations - Mr Shane Ormsby, Director, IBAT College Dublin, Vice-Chairperson, HECA	Closing: Reflections on the Day - Ms Mary Sheridan, Head of Provider Monitoring, HETAC

Downloads

Opening Address - Damien English, T.D.
Keynote Address - John Hennessy
Induction - Best Practice - Prof Sarah Moore, University of Limerick
HECA Presentation - Diarmuid Hegarty, Griffith College
Internationalisation - Marina Donohoe, Enterprise Ireland
Employment Agenda for Higher Education and Training - John O’Connor, NQAI
Furthering the Bologna Process - Gerry O’Sullivan, Erasmus National Agency
The Lidl Experience - Mark Lacey

2011 Conference Videos

Galway Business School

Irish College of Humanities & Applied Sciences

IBAT College Dublin

Griffith College Dublin

St. Nicholas Montessori College Ireland

Dublin Business School

Hibernia College