Irish Minister for Education Mary Coughlan T.D, is showcasing the best of Irish education during a special visit to the US this month, seeking to attract U.S. students to study in Ireland, go to www.educationireland.com for more details.

Many of the country's top universities and colleges will be promoted in Boston & Chicago at Student Fairs to demonstrate the reasons why there has never been a better time to be a student in Ireland.

For Americans, an all-round education in Ireland is also about experiencing the traditions and beauty that Ireland has to offer. As an island nation, the climate has ensured green pastures, rolling hills and a rugged landscape which is perfect for all outdoor pursuits and is a world recognized destination for water sports.


Ireland has never been more attractive for students. The worldwide recession in recent years has reduced the cost of living in Ireland, and rental accommodation is the cheapest in years.
 
It's a win-win situation in a country where the average third-level institution tuition fees start at around $11,000, depending on the course and duration of stay, according to Education Ireland. In addition, there is also the option of staying with a local family, where students are provided with a home from home environment with an Irish family.
 
 With 40% of the population being under 25, the social scene has never been livelier. This young and vibrant social mix has resulted in new University clubs, forums and societies that welcome all nationalities.

Indeed, 11% of the students in Irish universities are made up of international students, and 10% of Ireland's population has come from around the world to help shape Irelands modern Global society.

Visitors are always welcomed with a natural, quirky curiosity and a sense of humor, and it’s little wonder that Ireland was voted by Lonely Planet as the friendliest country in the world in both 2008 and 2010.

Between 2011 and 2016, a $450m Irish Government cash injection will be used to support high-level research at colleges and universities throughout Ireland, including the development of laboratories and research facilities. The move is likely to improve the World Economic Forum ranking, which put Ireland in eighth place out of 133 countries in 2009.

In addition, Ireland came in as the tenth safest country in last year's Global Peace index. That's good news for international students and even better news for their parents who can rest assured that their children will be safe in exploring the island of Ireland.
 
The Irish have always known that education was the key to freedom and its precious value is embedded in the Irish psyche. Today Ireland has one of the highest education participation rates in the world. The respect for education is portrayed in the writings and musings of some of the world's greatest scribes – Irish writers such as WB Yeats, James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw and Nobel Peace Prize winner Seamus Heaney.



Ireland has also been described as the gateway to Europe and its airports serve the main centers on the European mainland. This benefits the large number of International companies who have made Ireland their European base (Intel, Google, HP, Yahoo, Facebook).
Despite the economic hard times, foreign investors are still a significant player in the country and Ireland is one of the world's leading centres for the computer software / hardware and pharmaceutical industries.


After a rapid period of growth, fuelled largely by our educated workforce, Ireland is now emerging from the slump in the world economy to reach new heights as Europe’s leading Smart Economy.

Irish graduates continue to be hailed as some of the best educated and most employable in the world and as such are often headhunted for their skills.

It's a new dawn for Irish education and the international economy will benefit from another wave of world-class graduates.

After all, it's all about the “can do” attitude of the Irish and the magic of its education.

For more information, see www.educationireland.com.

Study in Ireland Student Fairs  - Boston & Chicago - http://www.educationireland.com/about-us/events/details/20-education-ireland-mission-to-the-usa.html