Shared determination to develop Franco-Irish cooperation

Organised on 5 July in the Campus France premises, the Ireland Country Day (“Journée Pays”, a frequent event held by Campus France) brought together 75 representatives of embassies, higher education institutions and academic and scientific institutions from both countries. The Day aimed to highlight the Irish higher education system and the possibilities for cooperation with France, Ireland’s closest neighbour in the European Union. This event took place in the presence of Simon Harris, Irish Minister for Vocational Training, Higher Education, Research and Innovation, and Vincent Guérend, French Ambassador to Ireland.

A common ambition: to develop academic and scientific exchanges

The Ireland Country Day began with a series of conferences on the Irish higher education system and the prospects for cooperation with France.

The bridges between France and Ireland in the education sector are particularly strong, and university cooperation is at the heart of the bilateral relationship. Both countries share common values: Europe and Francophonie (French cultural and language sphere). Both countries express the same determination to develop exchanges in higher education and research.

Ireland started a deep reform of its higher education system. Since 2020, for the first time, vocational training, higher education, research and innovation depend on a minister in full-service. The creation of Technology Universities (TUs), resulting from the merger of institutes of technology (IT or IoT), aims to strengthen the professionalisation of students and more in line with the local economic environment. In France, the reform of the University Bachelor of Technology designed a model better adapted to international mobility, and opens new opportunities for Franco-Irish cooperation.

In addition, the development of dual degrees (51 agreements in 2022), included in the joint Franco-Irish action plan concluded during French President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Ireland in May 2021, will support student mobility. France is the leading destination in Europe for Irish Erasmus exchange students and French students are the most numerous on Erasmus exchanges in Ireland. The creation of consortia of European universities is expected to be a sustainable model to organise and facilitate this mobility.

The “Country Day” Ireland then continued with the organisation of 120 face-to-face meetings between representatives of French and Irish institutions to launch or renew contacts for the development of new partnerships.

Image

© Campus France

The new Focus Ireland release

During the Day, Campus France published a new release of the Focus Irlande.

Download the Focus Ireland (in French)

This summary publication provides an overview of Irish higher education, presents the key figures for international mobility and highlights the areas of cooperation with France.