“The Government is ‘determined to step up’ cross-border collaboration between third-level institutions with an exchange programme between colleges among the initiatives being considered, the Minister for Further and Higher Education has said …” (more)
[Freya McClements, Irish Times, 6 December]
“Greater cross-border collaboration on higher education will be fundamental to ‘peace and prosperity’ in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, academics say. A taskforce set up by a pan-Irish learned society, the Royal Irish Academy, calls on the Irish government and the Northern Ireland executive to use closer ties on research and education as a way of overcoming historic political and regional challenges, as well as the problems caused by Brexit and the coronavirus pandemic …” (more)
[Anna McKie, Inside Higher Ed, 24 November]
“Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if students from universities in Northern Ireland were able to register for Erasmus for the winter semester of the 2021-2022 academic year; if they will be able to register in the summer semester; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 17 November]
“Northern Ireland’s universities, schools and colleges can continue to spend money from the EU Erasmus scheme until 2023. However, they can only continue to use money they have already been awarded rather than make fresh funding bids …” (more)
[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 4 November]
“Gerry Carroll (People Before Profit Alliance): Shortly, representatives from the National Union of Students – Union of Students in Ireland (NUS-USI) will gather outside this Building to express their concern about how students have been once again sidelined and left behind during the pandemic. I salute them on their No Keys, No Degrees campaign and will briefly mention some of the issues they are highlighting …” (more)
[Northern Ireland Assembly, 18 October]
“Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure that Northern Ireland is involved in the Horizon Europe research programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil debates, 13 October]
“Neale Richmond (Dublin Rathdown, Fine Gael): To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he has engaged with his European colleagues to ensure that Northern Ireland becomes associated with the Horizon Europe research programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter …” (more)
[Dáil written answers, 30 September]
“International students are worth about £260m to the Northern Ireland economy, a just-published report suggests. Two higher education bodies have analysed the economic effect of international students in the UK prior to the coronavirus pandemic …” (more)
[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 11 September]
“A major drive to vaccinate students in Northern Ireland against Covid-19 has been announced. The ‘Jabbathon’ initiative will involve 60 walk-in clinics across some 30 campuses – offering first jabs to students in universities and further education colleges …” (more)
[Jonathan McCambridge, Belfast Telegraph, 8 September]
“Northern Ireland’s six regional further education colleges have joined the call urging students to use Big Jab Weekend to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of the new term. The colleges said they want to provide all learners with the best opportunities in the new academic year and ‘return to college in the safest manner possible’ …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 19 August]
“Queen’s University, Ulster University and the National Union of Students have all stepped up to encourage students to get vaccinated against Covid-19 ahead of a full return to studies in September …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 18 August]
“Half of all A-level entries in Northern Ireland this year were awarded the top A or A* grade. Students in the North received the results of A level, AS level and BTec exams on Tuesday after exams were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic for a second year in a row …” (more)
[Freya McClements, Irish Times, 10 August]
“A-level results are out in the UK. How did students fare this year? A-level results in the UK soared this year with record numbers achieving top grades. The proportion awarded at least an A grade (80% or more) increased from 39% to 45%. In Northern Ireland, almost 51% of entries were awarded top grades …” (more)
[Carl O’Brien, Irish Times, 10 August]
“A North-South Research Programme which aims to support the deepening of links between higher education institutions, researchers and research communities on the island of Ireland has been launched today by the Higher Education Authority (HEA). The programme is a collaborative scheme arising from the Government’s Shared Island initiative …” (more)
[Maura O’Shea, HEA, 9 August]
“The number of students opting to take Open University courses has risen by almost a fifth in Northern Ireland in the last year, with more people deciding to start home study during Covid-19 restrictions …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 14 May]
“Northern Ireland students are ramping up their campaign to see the £500 Covid Disruption Grant received by other students in higher education extended to those who were excluded. The payment does not currently apply to students from Northern Ireland studying elsewhere, while those in further education are only able to receive a one-off payment of £60 to address digital poverty …” (more)
[Andrew Madden, Belfast Telegraph, 27 April]
“Around £2m is being paid to universities in Northern Ireland by Stormont to administer the £20m student Covid support scheme. All students attending universities here are eligible for the scheme, which provides a £500 grant …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 16 April]
“With recent polls in the North showing near-equal support for reunification and for union with Britain, it is important for those of us studying in the Republic to consider the effects a united Ireland might have on third-level education here …” (more)
[Fionnán Uibh Eochach, University Times, 16 March]
“Third-level students in Northern Ireland have reacted positively to plans to give them access to the Erasmus programme post-Brexit, Ireland’s Further and Higher Education Minister has said. Simon Harris said talks have been under way between higher education institutions (HEIs) on both sides of the border about Northern Ireland students taking part in the EU’s student exchange scheme through Irish colleges and that early indications are that students are interested in taking up the offer …” (more)
[Michelle Devane, Belfast Telegraph, 15 March]
“Almost 40,000 students at university or in full time education in Northern Ireland will receive a one off £500 payment to mitigate against the disruption caused by Covid-19. The scheme will cost £22 million and students have been told they can expect payment before the end of March …” (more)
[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 4 February]
