Ireland Offers World-Class Universities To Indian Students

Ireland's educational strengths and capabilities provide an excellent match with the requirements of India's dynamic economic development, according to Minister for Labour Affairs, Mr Billy Kelleher T.D., during his visit to India to promote Enterprise Ireland's overseas programme to internationalise Irish 3rd level educational services.

Nineteen Irish universities, institutes of technology and other colleges are participating in the 2008 programme of Higher Education Institute in Ireland Fairs, which take place in New Delhi, Hyderabad, Cochin and Bangalore

Speaking at the launch of the 2008 programme Minister Kelleher said "Ireland has a reputation as a world education centre and has developed an international standing as a centre of quality for education and training. The international activities of Irish institutions and organisations cover a wide range of areas such as medicine, accountancy, engineering, management and professional, business studies and language. Ireland's long tradition as a provider of quality education is backed by the high standards of its education services, internationally recognised qualifications and the worldwide reputation of its training".

Continuing Minister Kelleher said that almost 1,000 overseas companies had made Ireland their location of choice. Ireland was home to companies such as, Intel, Yahoo, Adobe, Microsoft, HP, Apple, Google, Amazon.com, and Palm, from the IT world; thirteen of the top fifteen pharmaceutical companies in the world had substantial operations in Ireland. And, he added, Ireland was delighted to have prestigious Indian companies such as Reliance Industries, Infosys, Wipro, Tata Consultancy Services, Wockhardt and Ranbaxy.

Over the past thirty years the policy of Irish governments of investing heavily in education and training has played a crucially important role in attracting foreign direct investment, developing Ireland's indigenous sector and creating a vigorous, aggressive dynamic entrepreneurial culture

During his visit Minister Kelleher will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and University of Pune in the area of student and faculty exchange as well as collaborative research projects.

"There is a strong tradition of collaboration between the third level education sector and third level educational establishments in other countries. I have no doubt that this agreement will continue that tradition and prove beneficial to both colleges", Minister Kelleher said.