Ireland’s third level sector will benefit from strategic US alliances - Power

Yesterday was a hugely positive day for third level education and the smart economy with two important announcements strengthening links with American universities. The first was the announcement that two of Ireland’s leading colleges, University of Limerick and NUI Galway, are to form a significant alliance with each other and with America’s Georgia Institute of Technology. This is the first time two Irish universities have joined forces in this way, pooling both their teaching and research resources. This new agreement will also see them form a partnership with America’s Georgia Institute of Technology, a university which has a strong track record in turning its research into successful business opportunities. It is hoped that these new relationships will provide a competitive advantage to the mid west in creating and attracting jobs for our smart economy.

Another important development for the future of third level education was legislation amending the George Mitchell Scholarship Fund. This new legislation will see the Government provide an additional €20million to the George Mitchell fund, that is, an extra €4 million a year over the next few years. Since it was first set up in 1999, this prestigious fund has attracted 105 of the brightest and best of US postgraduate students to universities across Ireland and Northern Ireland. These are students who have gone on to occupy positions of power in US politics, business and other areas and provides us with important contacts in the US. It is essential we build more alliances with US universities and continue to encourage some of the brightest young minds to study in Ireland. I hope other universities will now follow in the footsteps of UL and NUI Galway. As was said yesterday, this is about Ireland competing with the world.

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