Education
Northern Ireland is home to two of Europe’s finest institutions of higher education, Queen’s University and the University of Ulster, while also excelling in the provision of superior further education and technical colleges. Regardless of the institution, the objective is the same: to promote learning and skills to prepare the people of Northern Ireland for quality employment to support themselves and the economy.
Promoting the Value of Education
With one of the youngest populations in Europe – 45% of our 1.8 million people are under the age of 30 – Northern Ireland is committed to delivering an education system that meets the needs of society in the 21st century.
Four Key Areas:
- Enhancing the provision of learning and skills, including entrepreneurship, enterprise, management and leadership.
- Increasing the level of research and development, creativity and innovation in the Northern Ireland economy.
- Helping individuals to acquire jobs, including self-employment, and improving the linkages between employment programs and skills development.
- The development and maintenance of the framework of employment rights and responsibilities.
Strong Academic Performance
- The number of people holding degrees in Northern Ireland has more than doubled in the last 10 years.
- Northern Ireland students score consistently higher in standardized tests than other UK regions.
- 60% of students continue on in further and higher education to obtain additional qualifications.
How We Can Help
The Northern Ireland Bureau is committed to building partnerships with academic institutions across North America in the following areas:
- Student Exchange Programs
- Visiting Professor Programs
- Virtual Classroom Experience
- Research Collaboration