Irish higher education institutions are recruiting students at fairs around the world – particularly the developing markets of Brazil and India – in order to boost the Irish economy.
Speaking to Metro Éireann, Enterprise Ireland’s head of education Marina Donohoe said: “The economic impact of all international students in Ireland is now valued at €1.025bn and growing. It is an important sector and one we are working strategically to develop further.”
Education in Ireland, a brand led by Enterprise Ireland, attended the Salão do Estudante Fairs organised in the cities of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Curritiba in Brazil between 16 and 25 March. More than 5,500 Brazilian students are expected to be studying in Ireland by 2016 as a result of two partnerships with the South American country.
Last October, Trade and Development Minister Joe Costello agreed to be part of Brazil’s Science Without Borders scholarship programme, which will send some 4,000 Brazilian undergraduate students to Irish universities, while a previous agreement was signed in June to send up to 1,500 Brazilian postgraduate students to these shores.
These students are expected to bring a €136m boost to the Irish economy, including €60m in fees alone, as students from outside the European Union are required to pay full tuition.
In Dublin City University (DCU) undergraduate degree fees range between €10,700 and €15,200 per year for non-EU students. Fees in University College Dublin (UCD) range between €14,580 and €20,000, with some courses such as medicine costing up to €39,200.
Some of the higher education institutions which will be on the Education in Ireland stand in Brazil are the aforementioned DCU and UCD, along with Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT), the Dublin Business School, Griffith College, NUI Galway, NUI Maynooth, the University of Limerick, University College Cork (UCC), Trinity College Dublin and the Waterford Institute of Technology.
The 2011-2012 academic year saw more than 10,500 full-time overseas students studying in higher education institutes in Ireland, with only 100 students from Brazil.
Education in Ireland also participated in a touring student recruitment fair in the Indian cities of New Delhi, Pune, Chennai and Bangalore in February.
“In India we hope to at least double the number of students coming [to Ireland] from 800 to 1,600,” said Donohoe. “We position Ireland as a destination of choice in terms of gaining a ‘work-ready education’.”
Students from countries such as Brazil and India are also attracted by the fact that Ireland is an English-speaking country, a “safe and secure place to live”, and offers “opportunities to stay […] post graduation for exciting work placement,” she added.
