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Irish AP(E)L Network
Policy development
The Dublin VaLEx Project
Contact Points

Irish AP(E)L network

The Irish AP(E)L Network is a group of third level practitioners who are currently involved in planning and/or implementing AP(E)L systems in their institutions. Members share data and document, and liaise with the National Qualifications Authority (NQAI), Further Education Awards Council (FETAC), Higher Education Awards Council (HETAC), the Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Council of Heads of Irish Universities (CHIU) in the development of national policy regarding accreditation, access, progression and transfer issues in higher education.

The AP(E)L Network convened initially on 20 February 1997 in the University of Ulster, with joint convenors, Sam Bailie and Celia O’Hagan. The current convenors are Anne Murphy, DIT and Geraldine Mernagh, WIT.

The Network communicates through national seminars, college-based seminars, and working groups. The network operates an on-line Smartgroup site: http://www.smartgroups.com/groups/apelnetwork

Members are also kept informed through ordinary mail.

The Irish AP(E)L Network advised actively on the DIT involvement in the VaLEx Socrates-Grundtvig research project, and the network has been kept informed of the project’s implementation.

Policy development

The NQAI, FETAC, HETAC and the DIT are currently progressing principles, policies and procedures for RPL/AP(E)L elements of the National Framework of Qualifications.

Technical Working Groups and Advisory Groups have been established for this purpose.
An NQAI Conference on 24 and 25 February 2005 will report progress and identify future developments.

(click here to go to contact links to organisations)

The Dublin VaLEx project

The Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) is the Irish partner in VaLEX.

Activities to date include:

a. Research: An audit of AP(E)L in higher education in Ireland (see ……… location on site)

b. Dissemination 1: A national seminar on AP(E)L in June 2004 in the DIT (see ……location on site)

c. Implementation: of an AP(E)L PILOT of the VaLex model driven by the Department of Applied Social Sciences, DIT, with partner organisation The Open Training College/St. Michael’s House with significant funding support from the Eastern Region Health Authority (ERHA)

d. Dissemination 2: a seminar planned for May/June 2005.

Contact points

VaLEx Socrates-Grundtvig Project DIT contacts:

Noirin Hayes noirin.hayes@dit.ie
Anne Murphy anne.murphy@dit.ie

VaLEx PILOT Phase contacts:

click here to view a list of contacts