Abstract:

The knowledge society has greatly emphasised the importance of knowledge skills and know-how in the population at large, apart from social justice, the current recession now emphasises the significance of learning throughout life and as a way of life in modern society. Therefore a more coordinated approach to align the Higher Education Institutions (HEI) and enterprises through up-skilling courses and research so that they can work together to exploit and develop the current and future highly skilled graduates and employees is imperative in the role of recovery of the economy and development of one of a more efficient knowledge economy, innovation society and entrepreneurial economy (Prospectus Survey on Higher Education, 2007; Organisation for Co-operation and Development, 2004; 2005; Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation, 1999; National Competitiveness Council, 2008; Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, 2002).
This paper will examine the current tertiary education situation in Ireland amid the global economic crisis and will review what should education’s contribution be to help alleviate the crisis. Ireland’s future economic success is highly dependent on innovation, creativity and skills coming from the HEI. Investment in education and training, lifelong learning, research and development in partnership with the market and businesses is also the cornerstone to success. The success examples of the Nordic countries model of knowledge economy and knowledge society (Green, 2006: 7) should be adapted into the Irish HEI with partnerships across stakeholder groups such as the students themselves.

References:
• Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment (2002) Report of the task force on lifelong learning. Dublin: Stationery Office.
• Green, A. (2006) Models of lifelong learning and the ‘knowledge society’. Compare: A Journal of Comparative and International Education, Vol. 36, No. 3, September, pp. 307-325.
• Irish Council for Science, Technology and Innovation (1999) Technology foresight Ireland report. Dublin: ICSTI and Forfás.
• National Competitiveness Council (2008) Annual competitiveness report 2008. Volume 2: Ireland’s competitiveness challenge. Dublin: Forfas.
• Organisation for Co-operation and Development (2004) Review of Higher Education in Ireland. Paris: Organisation for Co-operation and Development.
• Prospectus (2007) Survey on Higher Education. Prospectus.

Keywords:

Knowledge society, knowledge, skills, higher education, global crisis.