Excellent wraparound support for students: Hibernia College CINNTE review published
Hibernia College is the second independent/private higher education institution (HEI) to complete the CINNTE review process - an institution-wide review process – which assesses and reports on the effectiveness of internal quality assurance systems. To date, only publicly regulated HEIs have undertaken CINNTE reviews. In 2024, Hibernia College was one of four larger independent/private HEIs to undertake institutional review.
Through its CINNTE cycle of reviews, QQI assesses and reports on how effectively HEIs are maintaining and enhancing quality in education. The reviews explore how institutions have improved their teaching, learning and research systems, and how well institutions have aligned with their own mission, quality indicators and benchmarks.
An independent team of national and international experts completed a comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the QA system in Hibernia College, recognising instances of good practice which deliver impact for students and staff, and making recommendations on areas for improvement.
The review report is now published by QQI.
Hibernia College was commended for:
- fostering a clear culture of collaboration among administrative and academic staff, as well as with external stakeholders.
- the exemplary design and accessibility of the review documents, as they demonstrate the institution’s high standards for inclusion, universal design, and visual appeal.
- the evident sense of loyalty, collaboration and community that speaks eloquently of their leadership and culture.
- their commitment to the publication of students’ research in a series of journal volumes.
- its comprehensive and excellent wraparound support for students, which enables them to excel.
The review team also made a number of recommendations for improvements to Hibernia College to:
- clearly articulate and consistently apply principles of data analysis to secure a more evidence-informed and sustainable future
- deploy a proactive evaluation process which facilitates the formal benchmarking of practice and outcomes
- increase student engagement across its governance structures
- ensure a greater consistency of the placement supervision, balancing student preparation and classroom pedagogy
- strengthen its vision to clearly reflect its ambition and evident impact on its alumni.
Speaking on the publication of the report, Professor Anthony McClaran, Vice-Chancellor of St. Mary’s University, London, who chaired the Hibernia College review, commented:
“The review team was impressed by the enthusiasm, commitment and engagement with which Hibernia College staff, students and stakeholders approached this review. Since its foundation 25 years ago, the College has taken a leading role in the development of flexible learning in Ireland, combining innovative forms of delivery with a supportive and collaborative culture that promotes student achievement. We were pleased to see that the success of Hibernia since 2000 has been built on strong foundations in governance, leadership, management and quality assurance. The team found much to commend and is confident that the recommendations that we have offered for further improvement will be helpful to the College as it continues its progress.”
Responding to the publication of the report, Mr Paul Farrell, Hibernia College CEO commented:
“We are thrilled to see the CINNTE report published. This is a momentous step forward for Hibernia College representing a major landmark in the journey of the College, particularly coming in this our 25th year. The journey of self-evaluation and the many constructive discussions we had with our stakeholders and the panel members over the duration of the visit continue to be transformative for the College community.
It is particularly rewarding to see the recognition of our student support services through which we endeavour to place the student at the heart of our actions. This is reflected in our deep commitment to access to higher education and the recognition of our authentic implementation of the principles of universal design across the entire student experience.
As we move forward and cement our plans for our future growth, we will redouble our efforts to increase student engagement and secure a place for our growing alumni community in the future of the College.
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to the panel members who lent us their expertise and time during the process. The support from the QQI TEMRU team made the review an enriching experience. Finally, I would like to acknowledge the work of the entire Hibernia College community for their dedication and hard work to this undertaking.”
Finally, Clíona Curley, QQI Interim CEO commended Hibernia College on its engagement with the CINNTE review process, remarking,
"QQI's CINNTE review cycle is crucial for ensuring the quality of higher education in Ireland. This report marks a significant milestone as larger independent/private institutions are now part of the institutional review cycle. We welcome the review team's findings, which highlight Hibernia College's strong student support, commitment to inclusion and universal design, and a collaborative community culture. Equally, the recommendations outlined in the report will also further enhance Hibernia College's educational offerings, ensuring high-quality outcomes for all students."
CINNTE reviews are one element of the broader quality framework for institutions which also includes Quality Assurance Guidelines; each institution’s Quality Assurance Procedures; Annual Quality Reports (AQR); and Dialogue Meetings.
The CINNTE review cycle has run from 2017-2024, having been extended by a year to include four newly established technological universities and the four largest independent/private HEIs. During this period, QQI has organised and overseen the independent reviews of each of the universities, technological universities and institutes of technology.
