€500,000 available through new programme to promote collaboration between Ireland and our global partners

Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Richard Bruton T.D. and Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. today launched ‘The International Academic Mobility Programme’. The new Programme, which will be managed by the Higher Education Authority will fund activities that lead to collaborative activity between Irish universities and global institutions in high potential markets.

A fund of €500,000 has been dedicated to the programme, giving an estimated 100-150 academics from universities, Institutes of Technology and colleges here in Ireland the opportunity to travel to and collaborate with key strategic partner institutions across the world.

It is open to teaching, technical, management and administrative personnel from eligible institutions to apply to the programme. The HEA will now run an open, competitive call for proposals with a view to making awards by the end of 2017.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton TD commented “I’m delighted to launch this new programme which will support more strategic collaboration between Irish universities and our global partners. Working closely with international institutions is key to the success of our higher education sector, especially in light of Brexit, and the other global challenges and uncertainties we face. This programme will be in addition to supports already available under the Erasmus+ initiative that facilitate, for example, student exchange and partnerships between higher education institutions”.

Minister Mitchell O’Connor was also delighted to point out that “This new Academic Mobility Programme is the latest in a number of strategic actions driven by my Department, in conjunction with the international education sector here, to implement the strategic vision set out in the Government’s International Education Strategy.  It follows on from the implementation of a trebling of the number of Government of Ireland Scholarships for international students, the introduction of a 24-month stayback permission scheme for post-graduate international students and the provision of greater supports by Government to assist with the diversification of international education markets.  This also further supports Ireland’s higher education sector as it prepares for the challenges and opportunities of Brexit.”