18.02.2015
Joint Statement from CICE and DCU – Historic Linkage Agreement between CICE and DCU
On 27th January 2015 the Church of Ireland College of Education (CICE) and Dublin City University (DCU) signed an inter–institutional linkage agreement. Reflecting the growing partnership between the two institutions, this signing means that CICE becomes a college of the university and that DCU will become the sole accrediting body for all CICE’s undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes. CICE and DCU welcome this agreement which arises against the background of the incorporation of the Church of Ireland College of Education, Mater Dei Institute of Education and St. Patrick’s College Drumcondra into Dublin City University. The incorporation will lead to the creation of an internationally–significant Institute of Education that will become the fifth faculty of the university.
Core Principles to underpin CICEs future
The Church of Ireland General Synod has endorsed unanimously four core principles of the Board of Governors of Church of Ireland College of Education regarding the College’s future in a university setting, namely:
· Safeguarding and enhancing the holistic educational experience of all CICE students;
· Protection of the rights of CICE staff;
· Retention of CICE’s identity in terms of its ethos and culture, including its relationship with and responsibility to the Church of Ireland network of primary schools throughout the State;
· Affirmation of, and formal positive acknowledgement of, and respect for, the values, origins and traditions of CICE.
In parallel to this, the President of DCU has written to CICE giving a clear commitment and assurance regarding the University’s respect for each and all of these four core principles.
A Centre for Cherishing Educational Commitments & Heritage while Embracing Change
In order to ensure that the distinctive identity and values of teacher education in both the Church of Ireland / Reformed Christian and Roman Catholic traditions are structurally maintained, promoted and safeguarded on an ongoing basis, two Centres for Denominational Education will be established within the Institute (a Church of Ireland Centre for Education and a Centre for Catholic Education). The core curriculum for teacher preparation will be denominationally neutral and common to all, but will, as required, allow for the delivery of modules to prepare teachers appropriately for employment in denominational schools.
The Church of Ireland Centre within DCU
The Church of Ireland Centre (CIC) will maintain and promote the distinctive identity, values and learning of the Church of Ireland / Reformed Christian traditions. The Centre will be supported by an Advisory Council who will advise the Centre’s Director on the Centre’s specialist work. The CIC will organise, oversee, support and supervise School Placements in primary schools under Church of Ireland, Methodist, Presbyterian and Society of Friends patronage for the Centre’s B.Ed students and provide related tutorials and School Placement Studies and related specialist research modules. It will also ensure provision for these students of modules in Religious, Ethical and Moral Education and prepare them to teach the Follow Me programme. It will assure the provision of specialist modules to support these students to teach in small and multi–level schools, and to develop particular expertise in early childhood education and inclusive education. It will ensure that these students are given adequate support in developing their Irish language literacy. In addition, Dublin City University has actively supported the continuation of the reserved places entry system for applications from the Church of Ireland and the other Reformed Christian communities.
A New Vision for Education
The document entitled A New Vision of Education for all the Children of Ireland launched in June 2014 set out the agreed proposals by the University and each of the incorporating institutions for the Denominational Centres, the care of students under the custodianship of each of the Centres, and the provision of worship space and chaplaincy in each tradition. This document also outlined the plans to promote and safeguard the archives and artefacts associated with each Centre. The University is fully committed to upholding the rights of staff from each of the incorporating institutions and is currently engaged in complex negotiations in this regard with staff and their representative bodies.
CICE will take its place as part of an Internationally–recognised Institute of Education
All parties to the incorporation recognise that this development will create an internationally–significant, research–intensive Institute of Education. The Institute will engage with schools and the educational community across Ireland and beyond, and will be an authoritative source of influence on policy development. DCU is, and will continue to be, a secular university with a strong commitment to pluralism, social inclusion and diversity. The new Institute of Education will provide a place of mutual respect for the formation of teachers for denominational (Church of Ireland, reformed Christian traditions, Roman Catholics and others), non–denominational and multi–denominational schools. While the ethos and identity of each of the three incorporating institutions will be respected and safeguarded in the ‘new DCU’, these three institutions will cease to exist as autonomous, separate legal entities post incorporation.
Joint Research Initiative on small Protestant Primary Schools
CICE and DCU look forward to deepening and strengthening the emerging synergies across their institutions. Reflecting their mutual respect and inter–institutional parity of esteem, CICE and DCU are delighted to announce a joint partnership in a key research project focusing on small Protestant primary schools in Ireland.
“Ní neart go cur le chéile”
Professor Brian MacCraith Archbishop Michael Jackson
President Chairperson,
DCU Board of Governors CICE
17th February 2015
The statement can be downloaded by clicking here.
Photo shows Professor Brian MacCraith and Archbishop Michael Jackson signing the agreement.