Dublin VEC Students Participate in Trinity ‘Taster’ Activities
Posted on: 21 May 2009
Over forty students from Pearse, Plunket and Liberties Colleges received certificates from TCD’s Senior Tutor, Dr Myra O’Regan on May 14th last, acknowledging their participation in a range of Trinity College ‘taster’ activities as part of TCD/ CDVEC Undergraduate Access Courses.
This is the fifth year of the TCD/CDVEC Undergraduate Access Course, a partnership between the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP) and Pearse, Plunket and Liberties City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee Colleges. Over the five years of the partnership, over sixty students have progressed from the FETAC Level 5 award to undergraduate courses in Trinity College.
“These TCD ‘taster’ activities, organised by the Trinity Access Programmes (TAP), provide students in local CDVEC colleges with the chance of experiencing elements of college life, by attending guest lectures, participating in shadowing days, library workshops, visits to the sports centre, study skills sessions and social activities”, stated TAP Programmes Manager, Kathleen O’Toole.
A recent research report evaluating University Access courses in Ireland recognised the impact which the TCD/CDVEC model has made on students, the local community and, significantly, on policy and procedure related to the delivery of such courses. In a response to the report, the Department of Education and Science and National Qualifications Authority of Ireland commented: “The partnership between TCD and CDVEC is illustrative [of good practice in relation to access, transfer and progression] in this regard and the collaborative approach is to be advocated”.
This year the success of the TCD/CDVEC Undergraduate Access Courses will also be highlighted when thirteen students who completed the courses in 2005 graduate from Trinity College with degrees in disciplines including social studies, history, sociology, English literature, drama and theatre studies, Spanish and geography.