Main pic L-R: John Andy Bonar, VP for Research, Equality and External Affairs , Joanne Kilmartin, ATU Project Development Officer; Dr Orla Flynn President ATU and Paul Hannigan, Head of College ATU Donegal at the North South Roadshow which visited Sligo, Mayo and Galway campuses last week to highlight cross border collaboration. (Photo: James Connolly)
Almost half of all students from the Republic who entered the two universities in the North this term were from Donegal.
However, there is only a trickle coming in the opposite direction to study in the South.
These were just some of the figures outlined by ATU Donegal Head of College, Paul Hannigan, to the Joint Oireachtas Committee this week.
Mr Hannigan represented the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) at the meeting with colleagues from Universities Ireland and the Irish Universities Association to raise issues around student mobility in both directions, North and South of the border.
With specific reference to the North West, Mr Paul Hannigan said it was clear that the asymmetric cross-border student flow is even more acute, with flows from South to North massively dwarfing flows from North to South.
“In particular, Donegal was the source of almost 43% of all students entering the two Northern Ireland universities in 2023.” he said.
“ATU had recently recruited a Schools Engagement Officer specifically to interact with schools in NI to address this imbalance. More school leavers from Donegal go to study at universities in NI than the total number of students from NI that travel to study at colleges in the CAO system.”
Again, referring specifically to the north west and to the ‘Feeder School’ data published in December 2023, Mr Hannigan demonstrated the significant contribution that border counties play in providing new entrants to Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast.
In total 72.7% of students from the Republic that commenced studies in September 2023 at the two Northern Ireland universities come from the six counties of Cavan, Donegal, Leitrim, Louth, Monaghan and Sligo. In addition, ATU was the destination for 57% of Donegal students, whereas Ulster University was the second most popular destination for Donegal students at 15%, with University of Galway (6.5%) and QUB (6.4%) filling the next two places.
In contrast, data from the CAO shows that just 176 Level 8 net acceptances in 2023 were applicants from NI (compared to 186 in 2022) and only 24 Level 7/6 net acceptances were applicants from NI in 2023 (compared to 32 in 2022) into colleges in the Republic of Ireland.
It was outlined that, for the border counties in the Republic, the career guidance staff and teachers are to be acknowledged for the support they give school students with UCAS applications. This includes advice on course requirements, writing references, providing predicted grades, and support in preparing personal statements.
Welcoming the recent restoration of the Stormont Assembly, Mr Hannigan advised that it was an opportune time for the North West Tertiary Education Cluster, where ATU is a partner with Ulster University, North West Regional College and Donegal ETB, to link with the North South Ministerial Council through the North West Strategic Growth Partnership (NWSGP). NWSGP was instrumental in the establishment of the cluster and has a specific focus to co-ordinate and influence all aspects of growth for the North West City Region. There was also a call by ATU for the inclusion of Tertiary Education within the remit of the North South Ministerial Council to ensure relevant policies and legislation in both jurisdictions are supportive of North-South student mobility.
It is hoped that more can be done to address the asymmetry in student flows and bolster numbers resident in Northern Ireland studying in the Republic next semester.
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