Colleges still not inclusive enough, State agency claims

THIRD-LEVEL colleges are still not doing enough to attract students from poor backgrounds or with disabilities, a State agency has claimed.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) national office for equity of access has also slammed universities and institutes of technology for making their local communities feel excluded.

The office focuses on strategies by third-level institutions to be more inclusive, particularly of groups who do not traditionally avail of higher education. These include young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and people with disabilities, who can be deterred by access issues.