Ten questions to Sean O Foghlu

Ireland has over 2,500 students from the MENA region enrolled in its educational institutions and about 200 from this come from the UAE. In an exclusive chat with Education, Sean O Foghlu Ireland’s Secretary General of the Department of Education & Skills who was in UAE this month, provided his perspective on this trend and the benefits for skills, industry and cultural development in both countries.

What would you attribute the large body of students from this region studying in Ireland to?

Ireland has a very strong reputation in places like the USA, where nearly 40 million people are of Irish descent. But we haven’t traditionally had a strong reputation in this region. That’s beginning to change, and as people find out more about us, they realise that we’re a beautiful country to visit, that we have one of the most advanced economies in the world, as well as one of the most well-educated and youngest populations. Our capital city Dublin is ranked as one of the ten best places in the world to be a student.

Do you think this is a growing trend?

Absolutely, more and more people are choosing to study in Ireland. We’ve seen huge growth not just from the MENA region, but from around the world. We’re in the top 10 for attracting American students, we’ve doubled our numbers from India in the last year, and we have multiplied by a factor of ten the number of Brazilian students coming to Ireland from their top universities.

Why is Ireland becoming a popular educational destination for students from this region?

We’re one of the safest and most family-oriented countries in the world, which is very reassuring to the parents of students. We have an excellent education system. For example all of our universities are in top 3% in the world, and we rank in the top 1% in many research fields. We also have a variety of options including English language training, universities, institutes of technology and specialist institutions like medical schools.

How does Ireland propose to compete with the rising appeal of other universities in other regions that also offer formidable financial savings?

Our main advantage is that we produce graduates that are highly sought after by employers.Ireland is one of Europe’s main hubs for global companies. Over a thousand global companies have located in Ireland – household names like Google, Facebook, Citibank and Pfizer – and a big attraction is our base of skilled graduates.

Are there attractive scholarships to attract these students?

Many institutions would offer scholarships which can be found on their websites and on the Education in Ireland portal: www.educationinireland.com

Can you comment on the course content for subjects? What makes them so attractive and topical to be able to pull students from this region?

The course content of course depends on what subject you study and where. But in many of the programmes favoured by students in this region, there is a major focus on developing the skills required for employment. What I would recommend that students who are considering Ireland should do is check out the Education in Ireland student ambassadors on the web – these are real students talking about their lives living and studying in Ireland. That’s the best way for a prospective student to understand what life is like on campus in Ireland.

Which are the top five courses students opt for typically, and why?

Medicine has always been a huge strength for Ireland, and we would have educated many medical professionals in the region. Ireland has invested hugely in scientific research over the past 15 years, and the world famous Nature magazine has called Ireland one of the top 5 rising stars in scientific research, so we get a lot of students in science and engineering. We’re home to most of the world famous technology companies like LinkedIn, Google, Paypal, Facebook and Apple, so ICT is a major subject, along with business. And we also have a very strong tradition in the humanities - for example Ireland has four Nobel prize winners in literature – so that is also very popular.

What are the prospects of job placements in Ireland?

Many higher education programmes include work placements in relevant areas as part of the course, and that proves to be a very popular attraction for many international students.

Can students expect good internships in Ireland and comeptitive job placements in international markets?

Ireland allows international students to work to support their studies and to remain in Ireland for a year afterwards to find a job. Irish degrees are highly sought after by international companies. In fact, in a 2011 survey by the European Union, Irish graduates were ranked top by European companies for employability.

Please tell us about your visit to the UAE this month. Does being here give you a better perspective on Middle East students?

The UAE is a crucial partner for Ireland, and it’s very important for us to visit regularly to understand what UAE students and policymakers want from their education, and what we can do to tailor our offering to meet that need. Presently, there are approximately 2,500 students from the Middle East studying in Ireland with just over 200 from the UAE. In recent years, there has been a welcome increase in direct connectivity between the UAE and Ireland. Today, there are 17 direct flights per week. Among other things, this visit has been enlightening for me in understanding the real importance of being able to connect with home easily.