Social care courses at MTU Cork campus granted accreditation 

Social Care Work courses at Munster Technological University’s (MTU) Cork campus have been granted accreditation by the Coru, the regulator for health and social care professionals, The Echo has learned.

The news comes some 20 months after The Echo first reported that Social Care Work graduates at the Cork campus of MTU were at risk of graduating without officially recognised qualifications.

As reported in The Echo in September 2022, MTU Cork’s Social Care Work (BA) course is was not one of the courses approved.

Approval of social care courses is determined by Coru, the regulator for health and social care professionals, and although the approval process began in 2017, MTU Cork applied for accreditation for its social care course in March 2023.

MTU’s Cork and Kerry campuses had both initially applied for Coru approval for their social care courses early in 2022, with MTU Kerry’s successful application approved 12 months later.

Reapplied

It is understood that MTU Cork subsequently withdrew its initial application, and reapplied a year later.

Speaking at the launch of two new pathways into social work designed to give more people a chance to train as social workers, Further and Higher Education Minister Patrick O’Donovan said he was aware of criticism from some students and was confident that the MTU Cork course would be accredited soon.

A source with knowledge of the accreditation process said the development was “very good news, especially for the students affected”.

A spokesperson for the Department of Further and Higher Education said: “This is a positive step towards attracting more people to work in the sector.”

A spokesperson for Coru was not available for comment.

MTU Cork was approached for comment.