Economy benefits by €400m from 35,000 foreign students

MORE than 35,000 foreign students in Ireland will inject €400 million into the economy this year, it emerged yesterday.

Undergraduates from countries including China, India, Pakistan and Malaysia are typically studying medicine, science, engineering and hotel management at colleges and universities.

The figures were released as a landmark case against perceived preferences given to non-European Union students comes before the High Court. A Dublin student is taking the case on discrimination grounds because non-EU nationals can claim places on coveted medicine courses without getting the necessary points.

Instead, they can secure places by paying between €25,000 and €42,000 with a lower points requirement — an option not available to EU students.

The case has been lodged in respect of medicine courses but would have ramifications for all options listed with the CAO.

The Higher Education Authority is currently compiling figures for the 2006-07 academic year but estimates suggest that up to 36,000 international students enrolled in courses.

The Department of Education and Enterprise Ireland have promoted Ireland as a centre of excellence for education.

Education fairs are being held for the first time by Enterprise Ireland in the Philippines and Vietnam in a bid to attract students.

A networking event in Kuala Lumpur this weekend is being attended by representatives from UCD, UCC, NUIG, TCD, Waterford Institute of Technology and the Shannon College of Hotel Management.

“Ireland offers a safe and secure environment for international students and by international standards it is uncrowded, safe and friendly,” said Education Minister Mary Hanafin.

Enterprise Ireland official Frank O’Connor added: “We sometimes forget that Ireland and Britain are the only English-speaking countries in the EU and this is attractive to students. We are also invariably cheaper than Britain or the US.”