ICOS Newsletter - Issue 28 (February 2010)

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Sections:

• International Education News
• Policy and Practice
• Services to Members
• Services to International Students
• Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme
• Organisational Matters

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International Education News

Proposed Saudi Language School leads to widespread concern

A recent report that the Mansfield Group is to bring 750 Saudi students to a live-in English language school on a Dublin City West Business Campus has caused considerable disquiet across the international education sector in Ireland. The Department of Education and the Department of Justice are concerned about aspects of the plans for Citywest Institute of Education which could lead to ghettoisation.

Sheila Power, Director of the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS) has expressed her grave reservations about the model of international education presented by the Mansfield proposal. "It is not one ICOS would support," she said, "particularly from the point of view of the integration of international students both on campus and in the community. Integration is a vital part of the overall educational experience and it is difficult to see how the Mansfield model would achieve this. We welcome the Saudi students and others from the region as they are currently under represented in Irish institutions when compared to international students from other parts of the world. However, this should be done in a managed way".

Ms Power referred to the recent visit of the Minister of Education, Batt O'Keeffe to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, where plans were laid for a number of initiatives which would see further educational co-operation between Ireland and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with both Saudi students coming to Ireland and Irish post-graduate researchers going to Saudi Arabia.

International Students need to be valued for the right reasons

In a response to a recent Irish Times article on how Ireland has failed to exploit opportunities from the international education market, ICOS Executive Committee Member and USI Equality Officer, Linda Kelly, congratulated the author for being one of the few journalists to cover the area of international education. However, she emphasized the importance of not seeing international students "simply as an income generator for the economy or indeed for colleges drowning in debt." She added that "the biggest endorsement for Ireland is to have international students who enjoy studying here, who have a positive experience here and who will recommend Ireland to friends in their home country."

Illegal working on student visas

The Irish Independent recently reported that up to 10,000 foreign nationals are working in Ireland illegally after entering the country on 'bogus student visas'. It quoted Justice Minister Dermot Ahern saying that the Government was preparing to tighten up the legislation on 'rogue colleges' and students abusing the educational system. The Minister added that the Government would not tolerate bogus colleges, which he said were undermining "the vast number of reputable education institutions".

The figures given represent almost one in three of the students who come to Ireland from outside the EU.

Reacting to the above article, ICOS Director, Sheila Power, said: "There is nothing new in the stories, but it is a pity that the headline focused on individuals who may be working illegally, rather than on the dodgy operators who continue to be allowed to offer poor quality courses of little educational value. The fact is that the 10,000 people now being subjected to scrutiny have been issued with legitimate student visas by the Department of Justice based on their enrolment at courses accepted by the Department of Education."

"The Irish Independent article rightly points out that the Government has few problems with institutions offering higher level courses and a new regulatory framework, currently planned, will provide 'greater opportunities for reputable institutions'".

Irish Universities strengthen links with the US

Representatives from all seven Irish universities recently travelled to New York and Washington, in a joint initiative coordinated by Enterprise Ireland, to boost collaboration between Irish and US institutes of higher learning.

The initiative is part of the Education Ireland strategy to draw new waves of US students to Ireland for undergraduate and graduate studies and to broaden the network of research partnerships between higher learning institutions in both countries.
Read more at Learning Ireland

New data improves picture of non-EEA students in Ireland

Almost 45,000 non-EEA students spent more than three months studying in Ireland during 2008 it has been revealed.
Read more

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Policy and Practice

High Level Group on International Education

The first meeting of the new High Level Group (HLG) appointed by the Minister of Education and Science, Batt O'Keeffe took place on 27th January. The Minister has asked the group to work on a realistic action plan to enhance Ireland's performance in the international education market but underpinning the need to protect the country's reputation as a quality destination where students will be protected. The membership of the HLG broadly represents all stakeholders with an interest in international education and includes senior staff from government departments and state agencies, public and private institutions and NGOs. ICOS is represented by the Director, Sheila Power.

The next meeting is scheduled for 30th March and the Minister who addressed the group at its first meeting expressed his wish that an action plan could be produced by the summer of this year.

Immigration changes for non-EEA students

ICOS recently received an update from the Dept. of Justice regarding the status of the reform of the Immigration Regime for Non-EEA students.

Over 100 submissions were received to the consultation document and the Department is in the process of putting final recommendations together which will be presented to Government before Easter. It is likely that there will be some amendments to the original proposals.

Promoting Dublin as an International Student City - workshop report

The Office of the Lord Mayor of Dublin, Cllr Emer Costello, has now published a report on the recent workshops she initiated relating to international education.

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Services to Members

ICOS Training

January and February has been a busy period on the training front; ICOS delivered 3 training courses at GMIT (Galway & Castlebar campuses) to a total of 36 participants in January, with a further session scheduled to take place in March.

During this period, a tailored orientation briefing was also developed for a group of Non-EEA PhD students on DKIT’s ‘Water is Life’ project.

A well received training session on “Teaching in an Intercultural Environment” was given at Dublin Business School in late February.

Recent participant feedback on ICOS’ training has been excellent:

• “Really enjoyed the day. Very interesting. Excellent lecturer”
• “One of the best staff development courses we have had”
• “Very impressed with content and delivery”
• “Good practical advice re teaching”
• “Will recommend this course to my colleagues”
• “Very interactive, would highly recommend it”

If you are interested in booking an ICOS training session at your institution or wish to discuss other training options, please contact Louise Staunton, Programme Manager and Trainer, ICOS, on (01) 231 5326 or lstaunton@icosirl.ie

Conferences/Events

Going Global 4 international education conference

For information on this year's UK Going Global international education conference, please visit the British Council website

"Taking care of the 'brains' - principles and practice in international student support"

This event will take place in Club de la Fondation Universitaire Stichting in Brussels on 19 March. More information

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Services to International Students

Find us on Facebook!

For the New Year, ICOS launched a new page on Facebook with regular updates on international education issues and news of student events. We are now closing in on 200 fans.

USI / ICOS International Student Forum, 25 January 2010

Workshop groups at the Dublin International Student Forum

ICOS co-hosted an International Student Forum with USI on Monday 25 January at the Mansion House, Dublin. The event was attended by around 50 international students who came together to discuss their experiences and issues. Sheila Power outlined proposed student immigration reforms and took questions from the floor. Afterwards attendees joined workshops on a range of topics that generated lively discussion and feedback, with Ireland's immigration procedures remaining prominent amongst the concerns. USI and ICOS undertook to incorporate the key points raised into future policy and advocacy work and to make available notes from the discussion when completed.

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Councillor Emer Costello, closed the event by thanking those attending for making Dublin their city of choice.

"International students have so much to offer the city and the country of Ireland," she told them. "It cannot be either overstated or overestimated the contribution you make to our society here."

She acknowledged some of the issues raised in the discussions and emphasised the importance of policies that facilitate international students and ensure the warm welcome for which Ireland is renowned.

Online guide to studying in Ireland

The 2010 edition of "i-studentadvisor" is now available online. The magazine covers practical topics including the admissions process, visas, the right to work and support for international students in Ireland.

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Irish Aid Fellowship Training Programme

St. Patrick's Day Party

The annual St. Patrick's Day party for Study Fellows is scheduled to take place on Thursday 11th March in the Academy Plaza hotel.

2010-11 Fellowship Applications

After processing by embassies in Irish Aid partner countries, ICOS has now received the vast majority of Fellowship applications for the coming academic year. Irish Aid will now consider these for the 2010-11 awards.

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Organisational Matters

The first Executive Committee meeting of the year took place on 11th February. The next meeting will take place on Thursday 6th May.

Meanwhile, the AGM is scheduled to take place on Thursday 10th June.