25 November, 2014

Agenda and presentations available here

CIT was delighted to host a meeting of the European Qualifications Framework Advisory Group (EQFAG) in conjunction with the EU Commission on the 19th and 20th November, 2014.

The 45 delegates attending represented 17 European countries as as CEDEFOP, QQI, and the European Commission. The meeting consisted of plenary and workshop sessions and it focussed on the challenges for higher, further and youth education posed by the recognition of learning gained in a variety of contexts. 

Dr Brendan Murphy, President, CIT commented that 'CIT was particularly appropriate to host this session as we are firmly committed to developing courses in close cooperation with our workplace partners and have established the CIT Extended Campus to support our enterprise partners in engaging with CIT'.

The deep theoretical considerations of the group were enlivened by a dramatic improvisation from the Year 3 students on the CIT Cork School of Music BA (Honours) in Theatre & Drama Studies. 

Welcoming this 'disruptive' intervention, Orla Flynn, Vice President for External Affairs, CIT, said 'the students used a variety of theatrical devices to interpret and challenge the 'stuffy ivory tower' view of third level education'.

The guests were treated to a dinner by the QQI featuring the best of local produce and prepared especially for the occasion by the CIT Department of Tourism & Hospitality.

Chiara Riondino, European Commission; Bryan Maguire, QQI; Brendan Murphy, President, CIT; Irene Sheridan, Head, Extended Campus CIT; Jens Bjornavold, CEDEFOP; Orla Flynn, Vice President, External Affairs, CIT; and Ernesto Villalba-Garcia, CEDEFOP.

Image credit: Darragh Kane