5 April 2000

BOOST FOR LIFELONG LEARNING

Lifelong learning in Northern Ireland received a boost yesterday with the opening of the Northern Ireland Credit Accumulation and Transfer System (NICATS) Central Unit in Belfast.

Speaking at the opening, Alan Shannon, Permanent Secretary of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Training and Employment, said his Department was fully committed to NICATS. He said: "The introduction of NICATS is an integral part of our Lifelong Learning strategy. Its flexibility will be a tremendous encouragement to potential learners.

"It will also benefit the education and training sector by introducing many more people into the system, people who will be able to pursue qualifications at their own pace, gain credit for those qualifications and progress through the system as it suits them."

Under NICATS, people can be awarded 'credits' on the successful completion of units of courses of studies rather than complete courses. These credits can then be accumulated under an overall framework, which in turn can lead to a formal qualification. The system will also provide the basis for one institution to recognise credits gained at another, which will enable people to transfer from one institution or course to another.

Mr Shannon said that NICATS would have an important role to play in complementing the work being undertaken in the development of the National Qualifications Framework.

He added: "Obviously NICATS will need to work closely with the existing awarding and regulatory bodies to determine a consistent approach for awarding credits to any qualification going forward for entry to the Qualifications Framework. I am sure they will do just that.

"It is also important to stress the vital contribution which NICATS can make to the knowledge-based economy envisaged in Strategy 2010, by providing the framework within which employees can augment their skills to match the needs of industry."

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The NICATS Implementation Committee was established by Ministerial Letter in August 1999, its task to have in place by September 2002, a single credit framework across the FE and HE sectors to support the operation of a regional credit accumulation and transfer system in Northern Ireland, which will link directly with the emerging National Qualifications Framework.

Under NICATS, credit will be awarded on the successful completion of units, rather than the full qualification, which people can take at a time, level and location convenient to themselves. These units will be accredited within the NICATS Framework and will help people progress to a final qualification in a manner which suits their own circumstances.

The new NICATS Central Unit is located in the University of Ulster's campus at York Street in Belfast, though it is independent and not part of the university.