Enterprise Ireland leads 34 Irish companies and education institutions on trade mission to Brazil
The Governments of Ireland and Brazil have today [Wednesday 24 November, 2010] signed a bilateral agreement for cooperation in the field of education and research which will advance the relationship, cooperation and partnership between Irish and Brazilian education organisations and institutions. The agreement was announced as part of this week’s Enterprise Ireland trade mission to Brazil.
This milestone agreement places Ireland’s education sector in a strong position to assist Brazil meet its education requirements including student exchange and placement and research collaboration. It is part of the Government’s strategy to draw increasing numbers of international students to Ireland for undergraduate and graduate studies and to broaden the network of research partnerships between Irish and Brazilian international higher learning institutions.
There is a strong tradition of collaboration between Ireland’s third level education sector and its counterparts in other countries. Likewise, Brazil currently has bilateral agreements with many countries and the evidence is clear that such agreements have the potential to generate significant numbers of students and postgraduates to undertake courses and research in countries where these agreements are in place.
There are already very strong education links between Ireland and Brazil. Over 6,000 Brazilian students study English in Ireland each year, representing a 60% increase since 2006. Likewise on the research collaboration front, links between both countries are steadily increasing. This bilateral agreement now provides the basis for a strong upward expansion of the education partnership between Ireland and Brazil, to the mutual benefit of both countries.
Welcoming this new formal collaboration in education and research between Brazil and Ireland, Minister Kelleher said: ‘Ireland’s long standing tradition as a provider of quality education is backed by the high standards of our education services, internationally recognised qualifications and the worldwide reputation of our training and research.
‘The building up of our research capacity and capability has greatly contributed to our success as an international education provider and research centre. Ireland’s educational strengths and capabilities provide an excellent match with the requirements of Brazil’s dynamic economic development’.
Kevin Sherry, Enterprise Ireland Head of International Sales and Partnering, welcomed the agreement saying: ‘This agreement provides an important platform for giving further impetus for a greater level of scale in education and research between Ireland and Brazil. This increasing collaboration between both countries will foster new and greater synergies that will yield exciting returns for both’.
ENDS
For further information, contact:
Magdalena Sobczak,
Enterprise Ireland Press Office
Tel. +353 1 7272295
 | Magdalena Sobczak |