DEIS (the gaelic word for “opportunity”) was established in 1993 to carry out a project in the area of open and distance learning. In 1996 it became an official Department of Cork Institute of Technology with a mission to “innovate in education for quality and access”.
In pursuing this mission, DEIS engages in the design and implementation of various innovative interventions in education and training; these are conducted on a pilot basis and integrated into mainstream provision, based on evaluation by the department in conjunction with the senior staff within the Institute. The range of interventions the department has researched is extensive, but relates primarily to the following areas:
- ODL and e-learning, with a particular emphasis on web-based solutions
- The assessment of nonformal and informal learning
- APL and the accreditation of work-based learning
- Education/workplace partnerships for programme design and delivery