DIT college admission schemes receive Public Service Excellence Award
21st June 2012: At a ceremony in Dublin Castle today (June 21st), An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. presented a Public Service Excellence Award to two college admission schemes the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) and the Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) . The awards, which seek out improvements and innovative activities from the public sector, recognise the success of the DARE & HEAR schemes in increasing the numbers of students entering third level with disabilities or from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Pictured at the Public Service Excellence Awards ceremony An Taoiseach, Enda Kenny T.D. with Kieran Houlihan, DIT Access Service Project Officer
DIT has a 120-year tradition of providing education opportunities to a diverse range of students and continually seeks to remove barriers to participation in higher education. DIT has been a partner institution in both the DARE and HEAR schemes since their inception. According to Kieran Houlihan of DIT’s Access & Civic Engagement Office “DARE and HEAR give a points reduction to students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and students with disabilities thus increasing their chances of success in getting to Third Level. The schemes also offer a package of supports including academic, personal, financial and social supports. Access and Disability officers are on hand in each college to support students through the application process and continue to offer guidance and support throughout the student’s college life”.
