Cross-border deal for students urged

Dublin: Business group IBEC and the North’s CBI, together with Universities Ireland (UI), have urged support for a cross-border talent acceleration programme for students.

Figures indicate that northern students represent just 1% of the Republic’s undergraduate population and southern students represent only 3.5% of the North’s undergraduate population.

Andy Pollak, secretary of UI, said entry requirements for A-Level students attending Republic of Ireland universities can be significantly higher than for Leaving Certificate students.

The group urged the Northern Assembly’s Department for Employment and Learning, and the Department of Education and Science in the Republic, to assess these requirements to ensure students in both jurisdictions are treated equally.

The delegation also announced the expansion of its scholarship scheme to include graduate job placement opportunities.