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UNESCO Contribution

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 3 May 2012

Thursday, 3 May 2012

Ceisteanna (125)

Seán Crowe

Ceist:

124 Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the nationality, age profile and gender of the students and teachers who benefitted from the UNESCO contribution and international exchanges; and the schools with pupils who benefitted from the scheme. [22532/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The purpose of UNESCO contribution in subhead B.4 is to meet the costs arising from Ireland's membership of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation, by way of the payment of a membership contribution. The subhead also provides for international exchange programmes.

The Teacher Exchanges programme for second-level teachers

France:

2 Irish teachers visited second-level schools in France under the French/Irish Professional Visit Scheme for 2011/12. Both were female. 18 teachers from France visited second-level schools in Ireland; the personal details of these teachers are not available as they make a direct application to the French Cultural Services in Paris.

Foreign Language Assistant Scheme 2011/12

Foreign Language Assistants are undergraduates or recent graduates who study modern languages. A total of 110 assistants come to second-level schools in Ireland each year under bilateral cultural agreements. They receive a monthly allowance from my Department. The most recent intake was 60 French, 30 German, 2 Austrian, 12 Spanish and 6 Italian. The Foreign Language Assistants are selected by the cultural services in their own countries. Irish undergraduates serve as Language Assistants in these countries. They receive monthly allowances from the host countries. A breakdown by age or gender is not readily available.

Postgraduate scholarships

My Department also funds a one-year reciprocal postgraduate scholarship scheme for international students. To date, the purpose has been to meet the terms of international agreements and educational exchange agreements with Ireland's international partners. Ireland has concluded cultural agreements with Belgium, Czech Republic, China, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Russia, and Spain. Ireland also has educational exchanges with Australia, Chile, Japan, Hungary, Switzerland and Turkey.

11 postgraduate scholarships were offered annually to non-EEA countries and 23 postgraduate scholarships to EU countries but take-up varied year by year. Last year, 5 scholarships in total were awarded to Chinese, Mexican and Japanese students.

From 2012, this programme is being amended in line with this Government's International Education Strategy 2010- 2015, with the purpose of more effectively using the scholarships as a means to promote Ireland as a centre for international education in high-growth markets.

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