Seán Kenny
Question:244. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken in the US to attract additional students to come to Ireland to study; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25620/14]
View answerTuesday, 17 June 2014
Questions (244)
Written answers
The United States is a priority market for the promotion of Irish education under the Government's International Education Strategy 2010-2015.
Our education relationship with the United States is particularly important to us. In the past decade we have welcomed over 60,000 US students to Ireland.
The most recent US data from the Institute of International Education, indicates that Ireland has retained its position as one of the top ten destinations of choice for US "study abroad" students (i.e. students who spent part of their programme studying overseas) with 9% growth, despite very strong international competition. 7,640 US study abroad students chose to do their period of study abroad in Ireland in 2013, compared with 7,007 in 2012 and 6,798 in 2011.
In addition to the study abroad segment, over 1,000 US students came to Ireland on full-time higher education programmes.
Enterprise Ireland has a US market strategy in place, focusing on increasing both undergraduate and postgraduate recruitment. The promotional programme includes the Education in Ireland Student Ambassador initiative, on-line and print marketing, recruitment fairs and other engagement activities, and working with US high schools and universities. These efforts are underpinned by market research, and the national effort is undertaken in close collaboration with individual higher education institutions. We look forward to growing our relationship with the US in the field of education.