The Higher Education Authority (HEA) is the statutory funding, planning, regulatory and development body for higher education and research in Ireland.
The HEA supports the Minister and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in the strategic development of the Irish higher education and research system. In November 2022, the Higher Education Authority Act 2022 commenced, conferring greater powers to the HEA, ensuring accountability and greater transparency over public funds invested in higher education. The policy direction of the system continues to be grounded in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, as well as the System Performance Framework 2023-2028.
The organisation’s vision is to work with institutions to deliver a higher education and research system that is consistently achieving world-class standards of teaching, learning, and research, demonstrating the values of excellence, academic freedom and integrity, inclusivity, and social and environmental responsibility, to serving the needs of the people and economy of Ireland.
From now until 2026, it will advance its’ realisation of the vision across four strategic themes:
- Fund: the institutions that make up the higher education sector;
- Develop: providing developmental opportunities across the higher education sector;
- Regulate & Oversight: with new legislation, the HEA will develop policies and procedures for the use of the powers of intervention. The HEA will continue to monitor and evaluate the use of funding and governance across the higher education sector;
- Advice: the HEA will exercise its power and responsibility to advice the Minister and Department on any matter concerning higher education and research. This will involve enhancing its processes to enable it to further interrogate and interpret data it holds in support of these advisory functions.
Questions about higher education and research policies may be directed to policy@hea.ie. Please note that submitted questions may be adapted for publication as FAQs.