THE IRISH and Chinese governments are to set up a joint working group to promote greater co-operation in the higher education sector.
The move is expected to strengthen student exchange programmes and enhance collaboration in research and development.
Speaking in Beijing after a meeting with China's deputy education minister Zhang Xinsheng yesterday, Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe said the agreement was "a major step forward in building Ireland's relationship with our education partners in China.
"Minister Xinsheng and I agreed that a framework be put in place to move the level of co-operation and exchange between Ireland and China to a new level.
"The first step is to establish a joint working group between both countries to map future developments and to identify common priority areas in higher education.
"Then a workshop will be set up for the leaders of the higher education institutions in both countries to explore ways in which we can enhance co-operation on exchange programmes and develop stronger links between education, research and enterprise.
"Both Minister Xinsheng and I recognise the importance of more exchanges at postgraduate level and the opportunities for industry placement as an intrinsic part of the student experience," he said.
"We agreed that it is important to embrace the arts, humanities and social sciences, as well as the science, technology and engineering disciplines, in developing collaborative links between our education sectors.
"The total impact on the Irish economy from international students in third level and the English language sector is estimated at between €830 million and €1 billion annually," the Minister continued. He said more than 3,500 Chinese students were now studying in Ireland - the largest group after students from the US.
"Sixty per cent of these Chinese students are studying for honours degrees and 20 per cent are studying at fourth level," Mr O'Keeffe said. "Minister Xinsheng said he wants to send some 5,000 Chinese PhD students abroad over the coming years and I want to ensure that Ireland's third-level institutions are optimally positioned to attract as many of those students as possible. When you consider that an international student studying in a third-level institution in Ireland spends about €10,000 annually on accommodation and other services and pays on average that amount again on tuition fees, there is strong economic value in attracting Chinese students to our shores," the Minister said.
"This mission has placed the Irish education sector at the heart of the Chinese market and raised our profile considerably among key decision-makers in Government."
