TU Dublin wins national tender to upskill Ireland's Computer Science Teachers
TU Dublin wins national tender to upskill Ireland's Computer Science Teachers
In response to the demand for computer science teachers, the Department of Education had commissioned a third-level programme and TU Dublin has won the tender to deliver this programme. The initiative is part of the Teacher Supply Action Plan, which aims to address a national need for qualified computer science educators in post-primary schools.
Supported by the Enterprise Academy, the School of Enterprise Computing and Digital Transformation won the tender from the Department to deliver a new national upskilling programme for post-primary computer science teachers.
The School’s winning tender was built upon the Faculty’s successful Higher Diploma in Science in Computing. Designed to meet the Teaching Council’s curricular subject requirements, the new Higher Diploma in Computer Science for Teachers will enable teachers to become fully accredited to teach Computer Science up to the Leaving Certificate Higher Level by September 2025.
The successful tender is for a 2-year rollout of the programme, with the option for a further two extensions. It is expected to cater for over 200 teachers during this period. The Department’s estimated budget for each programme cycle is €560k.
The new programme is designed to empower second-level teachers to deliver Leaving Certificate Computer Science (LCCS) with confidence. It targets teachers currently teaching LCCS or those planning to pivot into this area. It offers a recognised pathway to Teaching Council registration in Computer Science.
Upskilling opportunities for teachers
Announcing the new Computer Science programme to be delivered by TU Dublin in Minister for Education Helen McEntee said:
“Providing more upskilling opportunities for teachers is vital in supporting teachers, but also in helping to address teacher supply. These courses are free and will help Teachers to upskill in a flexible way, increasing their own job opportunities while addressing recruitment challenges in each of these subjects. Upon graduation from these programmes, teachers will be able to register to teach Computer Science, French, and Politics and Society at the highest level in post-primary schools."
Minister for Education Helen McEntee
Beginning in September 2025, the programme, will be flexible and innovative, provided in a way that allows broad participation, accommodating teachers in both full and part-time roles. These courses are open to any registered post-primary teacher. Over 980 post-primary teachers are currently undertaking or have completed upskilling programmes.
Winning University Tender
The new programme is designed to empower second-level teachers to deliver Leaving Certificate Computer Science (LCCS) with confidence. It targets teachers currently teaching LCCS or those planning to pivot into this area. It offers a recognised pathway to Teaching Council registration in Computer Science.
The academic lead for the project is TU Dublin Senior Lecturer Keith Quille, a nationally recognised expert in Computer Science education, Director of the CSinc Research Centre and the author of the official textbook for Leaving Certificate Computer Science. The successful tender application was led by Barry Feeney, Head of School. Commercial and marketing research support was provided by Peter Lynch in the Enterprise Academy.
This achievement highlights TU Dublin’s continuing role in shaping Ireland’s digital education landscape and supporting teachers with the skills needed to inspire the next generation of tech talent.
Read more on the Department of Education's announcement here.