The subsidy will support participation in 57 microcredential courses offered by IUA universities this year, spanning areas of national importance.

The Irish Universities Association (IUA) has welcomed the announcement made by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, confirming the 2026 Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy. 

Designed to support lifelong learning and create opportunities for students, the subsidy will support participation in 57 microcredential courses offered by IUA universities in 2026, spanning areas of national importance such as digital transformation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, leadership, innovation, healthcare, engineering and business development.   

Commenting on the announcement, IUA’s director general Paul Johnston said: “The reintroduction of the Micro-credential Learner Fee Subsidy is very welcome. It represents an important investment in lifelong learning, workforce development and Ireland’s future competitiveness. 

“By reducing the cost of participation in these courses by workers and their employers, the subsidy makes university learning more accessible to individuals while also helping their companies, particularly SMEs with limited training budgets, to invest in the skills of their workforce.” 

According to the group, microcredentials and skill learning supports are critical to the wider educational ecosystem as, in 2025 when the previous subsidy was withdrawn, registrations for microcredential courses fell by almost 40pc across five universities. 

Additionally, universities faced growing pressure on course viability, with some programmes in areas of national skills priority unable to proceed due to insufficient enrolments. These courses were primarily in areas such as climate and sustainability, housing and construction, engineering, digital capability, innovation and leadership.

The IUA stated that a consistent, multi-annual subsidy would provide universities with the confidence to plan ahead, repeat successful courses, invest in new provision and respond more effectively to emerging skills needs. It would also support targets set down by the European Union to achieve a 60pc adult participation rate in learning by 2030. 

“There is currently no certainty beyond this year,” said Johnston. “We would therefore call on the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and the Higher Education Authority to place the subsidy on a stable, multi-annual footing. 

“A longer-term commitment would provide certainty for learners considering an investment in their own development, for employers seeking to build workforce capability and for universities seeking to sustain and grow high-quality flexible learning provision. Most importantly, it would send a clear signal that lifelong learning is becoming a permanent and valued feature of Ireland’s education and skills system.” 

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