Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 June 2023
128. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the position with regard to expanding the scholarships available to developing countries for enrolment in higher education, including vocational training and in STEM programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27231/23]
View answerThe Ireland Fellows Programme, which is managed by the Department of Foreign Affairs, enables promising individuals from partner countries to travel to Ireland to study for a Master’s level qualification at a University or Institute of Technology. Its aims are to nurture future leaders, develop in-country capacity to achieve national SDG goals and to build positive relationships with Ireland.
The programme has operated since 1974, bringing students to Ireland from African partner countries and, since 2009, also from Vietnam. Following a decision to expand the programme in 2019-20 it was enlarged to include students from the occupied Palestinian territory and, in 2020-2021, from Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This was in implementation of one of a number of commitments in the Government’s Strategy for partnership with SIDS. A new strand for Latin America was launched in 2022 for the 2023-24 intake, fulfilling a commitment in the Government’s 2022 Strategy for Latin America and the Caribbean. As a result, the number of Fellowships awarded has increased from 84 in 2018 to at least 210 for the 2023-24 academic year.
Eligible Master’s level programmes are in a wide range of disciplines, including vocational and STEM programmes in fields such as science and technology, engineering, information systems and computer science, medicine and biotechnology. In the months leading up to each new application round, Higher Education Institutions in Ireland are invited to submit details of courses for inclusion in the programme directory, which is then made available to potential applicants.
Successful candidates begin their programmes in August or September. Depending on the course selected, their studies can run for between 10 and 16 months.
The 2024-25 Ireland Fellows application round will open on 3 July 2023.
