Ireland to become a global leader in education

A MAJOR new strategy, aimed at increasing Ireland’s share of international students, has been launched by the Taoiseach Brian Cowen.

The Education Department estimates that almost €900 million is currently earned annually by Ireland providing education for students from abroad.

Under this new strategy, the Government intends to increase that by €300 million to €1.2 billion by 2015.

The 5 year programme, entitled ‘Investing in Global Relationships’ was unveiled this lunchtime by the Taoiseach as well as the Tánaiste and Education Minister Mary Coughlan and the Justice Minister Dermot Ahern.

At the launch in Government Buildings today, the Taoiseach said: 'Our aim is for Ireland to be regarded as a world-leading provider of international education. This strategy and new student immigration regime sets out a shared vision for how Ireland can compete to the highest international standards and recruit talented students from overseas.'

The central aim of the plan is to increase by 50%, the numbers of foreign students availing of third level education here, and increase by 25% the numbers of students learning English in Ireland. See further targets below:

■increase total international student numbers (including full-time, part-time, and exchange) in higher education institutions to 38,000, an increase of over 12,000 or 50% on current numbers
■ increase the number of full-time international students in higher education to 25,500, an increase of 8,500 or 50% on current numbers (this corresponds to an increase in the national proportion of such students from approximately 10% to 13%)
■increase the proportion of international students undertaking advanced research from 10% to 15% (3,800 students)
■increase the proportion of international students undertaking taught postgraduate programmes from 13% to 20% (5,100 students)
■increase the number of exchange and junior year abroad students from outside the EEA to 6,000, from its present level of approximately 3,600
■increase the number of English-language students by 25% to 120,000
■increase the number of offshore students (i.e. those undertaking Irish education programmes outside the jurisdiction) by 50% to 4,500
■enhance the economic impact of international education by some €300 million, to approximately €1.2 billion in total.