The Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) is the legal successor to the National Council for Educational Awards and awards higher education awards in Ireland in the extra-university system since 2001. It is an institution subject to the policies of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and awards many Institute of Technology courses.

The National Council for Educational Awards (NCEA) was founded in 1972 and awarded the first National Certificates that year at five Regional Technical Colleges. Early on it was decided that the National Council for Educational Awards would be the only extra-university conferring institution in the State at higher education rather than having a multitude of competing institutions. During the 1970s this caused trouble as Fine Gael-Labour (National Coalition) government attempted to limited the council to subdegree awards only, later Fianna Fáil government of 1977 restored the full powers and placed it on a statutory footing in 1979.

The awards

• Certificate (HETAC)
• National Certificate
• National Diploma
• Bachelor's degree
• Graduate Diploma
• Master's degree
• Doctorate degree

See also

• Education in Ireland
• Further Education and Training Awards Council

External link

• Official site (http://www.hetac.ie)

Universities of Ireland

Republic of Ireland: Dublin City University | National University of Ireland | University of Dublin | University of Limerick

NUI Constituent Universities: Cork | Dublin | Galway | Maynooth

Northern Ireland: Queen's University of Belfast | University of Ulster

QUB University Colleges: St Mary's | Stranmillis

Other degree awarding authorities in Ireland

Dublin Institute of Technology | Higher Education and Training Awards Council | Pontifical University of Maynooth | Presbyterian Theological Faculty Ireland