Ireland has been inviting Indian students and the number is increasing mainly due to increasing research and job opportunities. Irish institutions have ongoing links with over 30 universities in India involving academic partnerships, faculties, and research in areas like engineering, law, social sciences, computer science and hospitality. Kevin Kelly, Ireland Ambassador to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives, highlights the rising presence of Indian students in Ireland. Excerpts from the interview:
What are the strategies introduced by Ireland to boost the Study in Ireland programme? Over 8000 Indian students are studying in Ireland, do you have plans to increase the numbers?
Ireland has a long-standing reputation in education and scholarly endeavour, and so its popularity as an international study destination has only grown in the past decade. Every year, bright, young Indian students choose to pursue their undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Ireland, and countless go on to seek employment opportunities in various sectors across Ireland and beyond. Education in Ireland, the national brand under the Minister for Education and Skills, is responsible for the promotion of Irish Higher Education Institutions in India. They engage with Indian institutions and schools, facilitate partnerships and cooperation between the two countries, and create awareness about Ireland as a study destination through events, online platforms, and media.
Ireland’s higher education institutes offer an extensive 5000+ programmes that lead to internationally recognised and quality-assured qualifications, with graduates emerging at the end of their education as one of the most skilled globally. Ireland looks to offer opportunities to a range of Indian students, with institutions and their respective departments seeking students according to their capacity and requirements.
With many Irish companies setting its offices in India, will it help Indian job seekers?
Over 75 Irish companies currently have set up offices in India. They primarily look to employ from the Indian market itself and recruit locally engaged staff as per the specifications and requirements of a particular job or industry.
Ireland wants to deepen its economic and cultural relationship under the Asia Pacific strategy. Will this also strengthen academic collaborations?
The bilateral relations between India and Ireland are rich and steeped in a history of political engagement and people-to-people links. In terms of academic collaborations, Irish institutions have ongoing links with over 30 universities in India involving academic partnerships, faculties, and research in areas like engineering, law, social sciences, computer science and hospitality.
Moreover, Ireland’s recently launched Global Citizens 2030 – Ireland’s Talent and Innovation Strategy, is evidence of our interest in building academic ties and prioritising the learning experience of international students in Ireland. It aims to ensure Ireland continues to be a first-choice destination for international learners, researchers and innovators from India and other regions.
How have the academic ties between India and Ireland evolved in the past decade?
Over this past decade, we have seen several Indian students coming to Ireland rise from mere hundreds to over 7000 in 2022. Around, 14 Irish higher education institutions have already set up offices with local representation in New Delhi, Mumbai, and Hyderabad. Irish universities and colleges continue to enjoy enduring and evolving partnerships with their Indian counterparts. More recently, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) and University College Dublin signed an MoU to boost student exchange, faculty engagement, academic research, and cross-border collaboration. We expect more such fruitful collaborations to develop this year and in the future.