A new fund, set to be managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) was launched last Tuesday to encourage and promote international collaboration by Irish universities.
Launching the ‘The International Academic Mobility Programme’ the Minister for Education and Skills, Mr. Richard Bruton said he was “delighted to support more strategic collaboration between Irish universities and our global partners”.
The new fund of €500,000 will give the opportunity to 100-150 academics to travel and collaborate with key strategic partner institutions across the world. The fund is open to teaching, technical, management and administrative personnel from eligible institutions.
The HEA is running a call for proposals with a view to making awards by the end of 2017. The fund comes at a time when maintaining global cooperation was principally important considering the global challenges and uncertainty faced by higher education.
Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor T.D. was clear to highlight that “the Academic Mobility Programme is the latest in a number of strategic actions driven by the Department, in conjunction with the international education sector here, to implement the strategic vision set out in the Government’s International Education Strategy.”
Launched last year the International Education Strategy aims to increase the number of international students studying in Ireland and along with the aim of developing strong international networks in the areas of enterprise and research.
