Barry O'Driscoll, Head of Education in Ireland, speaks with Muskan Jain about the recent pre-briefing session for Indian students who have enrolled in Irish Universities
Tell us about this pre-briefing session that you will be conducting with students who have got admission in various Ireland universitiesIJ
The sessions are scheduled to take place in Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai. It is basically to give an idea of what the students can expect in Ireland. I want to give them some useful tips. The one point that I want to talk about is that in Ireland, education is linked with job opportunities. The courses are very practical. Ireland is one of the few English speaking countries which uses Euro as its currency so students have to be careful about their expenses. Ireland maybe a small country but it has a lot to offer Indian students.
How many applicants did you get this time and what was the selection criteriaIJ
We have 2000 students studying in Ireland and this is increasing every year. Academics is the only criteria that we follow although the specific selection criteria may vary from an institute to institute.
What are the popular coursesIJ
Most of the students have enrolled for science subjects. We provide business and finance courses as well. We are widening our course fields and have introduced hospitality management with arts and literature.
What is the standard structure of the programmes like in Ireland UniversitiesIJ
The programmes start in September and they are of two semesters. The post-graduate courses are for a duration of one year while the under graduate courses are for a 4-years duration.
Do you encourage students to do part time work along with their studiesIJ
We allow students to work part time jobs up to 20 hours per week. This goes up to 40 hours per week during vacations.
Do the students have to take a separate work permit IJ
The students do not require a separate work permit but they need to apply for a residency card once they arrive which will allow them to work part-time.
How can you assure an established career for all students studying in IrelandIJ
The Irish programmes are internationally recognized. They are strongly linked to industries thus they are practical.
Whether the student opts to work in Ireland or in India, they have a good job prospect on their CV.
What is the USP of education in IrelandIJ
Our tagline is ‘world class standards and warmest welcomes’.
There are students from over 160 countries in Ireland so Indian students get to meet, interact and integrate with not only Irish students but from students all over the world.