Education Ireland Launches Campaign to Strengthen Links Between Irish And US Universities

WASHINGTON, NEW YORK and DUBLIN, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- In an ambitious campaign to boost collaboration between Irish and US institutes of higher learning, representatives from seven Irish Universities will converge in New York and Washington this week to launch "The Irish Universities: Connecting Continents" initiative.  They are: Dublin City University, National University of Ireland Galway, National University of Ireland Maynooth, Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, University College, Dublin and the University of Limerick.

The campaign kicks off with two "Irish University Showcase" events: one in Washington, hosted by Ireland's Ambassador to the United States (US), HE Michael Collins, and the second in New York hosted by Consul General, HE Niall Burgess.  It builds on the long-standing interest of US academics and students in Irish history, culture and literature, and aims to broaden the network of research partnerships shared by institutions of higher learning in both countries.  It is also designed to draw new waves of US students to Ireland for undergraduate and graduate studies.

"The initiative will strengthen the ties that link the institutes of higher learning on both continents," said Tom Cusack, Director Americas at Enterprise Ireland.  "For decades, Ireland's universities and colleges have enjoyed a distinguished reputation in the US for their traditions of research and teaching in the liberal arts.  More recently, that reputation has extended to the social science, science, engineering, and medical disciplines."

Cusack continued, "With interdisciplinary combinations that range from digital humanities to the latest nano-technologies, Irish universities have empowered generations of students with the knowledge and expertise that helped advance Ireland's competitiveness in the global marketplace.  It is the highly educated, English-speaking workforce and culture of entrepreneurship that compelled top technology companies like Intel, Cisco, Facebook and Google to plant substantial operations in Ireland."

A History of Investing in Education

Building on this superior education system is a national priority.  To this end, the Government has invested substantially in the country's education infrastructure, especially at the university level.  This includes allocating more than euro 865 million over the past decade to the "Programme for Research in Third-level Institutions".  This aggressive initiative to strengthen national research capabilities has accelerated the emergence of dynamic new Irish companies—many with substantial operations in the US.

A natural outgrowth of this investment strategy is the rise of partnership programs, especially with US institutions.  Today, Irish universities are bridged with US counterparts in virtually every state, making the US Ireland's top academic partner.  For the US institutions, the relationships offer a unique portal to Europe, further expanding the reach of their entrepreneurial researchers.  And in the connected classrooms and research labs, students are benefiting from a globalized education experience.

Partners of the Irish universities include: Cornell University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Harvard University, the National Institutes of Health, Purdue University, Stanford University, the University of California, Berkeley and Yale University.  Technology corporations like Intel are also part of the ecosystem.

A Premier Education Destination for International Students

For international students, the premier draw to Ireland is the generous hospitality, cultural traditions, diverse outdoor activities and a vibrant young population.  They're also attracted by the country's reputation for excellence in the liberal arts.  From language and literature, to film and theater, Ireland's universities consistently produce renowned intellectuals and thought-leaders that inspire, enlighten and entertain the world.

Each year, keen to tap into this education heritage, the number of international students grows, with a substantial portion coming from the US.  In 2007/08, more than 6800 US students selected Ireland for their study abroad experience—a 20 percent increase over the previous year.  Among the full-time US students, nearly 50 percent are liberal arts majors—pursuing undergraduate and graduate degrees at an affordable cost.  They also benefit from unprecedented access to the extensive European networks supported by the Erasmus exchange program.

Now, through the "Connecting Continents" campaign, tighter ties will be forged between the institutes of higher learning in both countries—links that continue to catalyze inventive research and yield breakthroughs in science, technology, medicine and the liberal arts.  Moreover, by increasing dynamic faculty and student exchanges, more international students than ever can expect to gain from the "Irish Education Experience".

The campaign is led by Education Ireland.  Education Ireland is dedicated to the development and promotion of Ireland as an international education center of excellence.  The Education Ireland brand is managed by Enterprise Ireland, the government agency responsible for the development and promotion of Irish business.  www.educationireland.ie

SOURCE Education Ireland