Mr. Lewis Purser:

I thank the Chair.

The Irish Universities Association welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the discussions on North-South education mobility, particularly on the ongoing challenges of encouraging and supporting higher education students to cross the Border in either direction for the purposes of study. The universities have a long history of cross-Border co-operation on the island and we recognise the need to develop a more strategic approach to North-South student mobility. Recent funding initiatives in research and innovation to assist in addressing societal and economic challenges have provided renewed opportunity for collaboration across academia. Similar initiatives to address wider student mobility issues are required.

As referenced by Professor Ó hÓgartaigh and following recent work by this committee and the ESRI, the universities have agreed a revised set of equivalences for students presenting A-levels for admission to undergraduate programmes here. These revised equivalencies are specifically designed to consider changes in A-level participation rates in Northern Ireland in recent years, have been approved by the relevant governance bodies of each university and will apply for students seeking admission in 2025. As also referenced earlier, these new equivalencies will be piloted by the University of Galway in 2024.

While these revised equivalencies are important, it is doubtful whether they will of themselves lead to a significant increase in the number of students from Northern Ireland studying in the Republic. As noted in earlier hearings of this committee and in evidence by HEA and CAO data, undergraduate student numbers travelling south of the Border continue to decline. The most recent CAO figures for Northern Ireland applicants are included in appendix 1 of my statement. This data shows that only around 30% of Northern Irish students who currently receive the offer of a study place through the CAO actually accept the place. This low acceptance rate compares with an average acceptance rate greater than 75% across all higher education institutions in the Republic. If we are to effect lasting change in North-South student mobility, it is clear that other obstacles will also need to be addressed.

One of these obstacles is the continuing delay in releasing leaving certificate results each year, as referenced already by Professor Ó hÓgartaigh. Even before the Covid-19 pandemic there was a tight window between leaving certificate results and the acceptance of course places in the Republic. The timeline, which is operated by the State Examinations Commission, does not allow the CAO and Irish universities to make earlier offers, resulting in particular difficulties for Northern Ireland applicants with A-levels. It also causes significant issues for leaving certificate students seeking to secure a place in a Northern Irish university, or indeed anywhere outside of Ireland in a timely manner. Offers are made much earlier in the summer in other countries' systems, as are their equivalents of the leaving certificate results. Therefore, it is no surprise that the percentage of students from Northern Ireland who apply and subsequently accept the offer of a study place in the Republic has fallen significantly over the past five years. Without effective cross-Border co-operation and communication by the respective Departments of education and a commitment to reforming leaving certificate examinations and results timeframes, any real progress in encouraging students to cross the Border in either direction will remain hampered.

The acute accommodation shortage is another significant obstacle, as has been already referenced. These costs are highest in urban areas, which is where universities are concentrated and where student enrolments from Northern Ireland will continue to be concentrated; that is where the demand is. While the additional capital investment is slowly being provided to support universities to increase student accommodation, the non-aligned leaving certificate timelines means that Northern Ireland students must wait until the last minute before seeking to secure this accommodation.

Strategic decision-making on cross-Border enrolments has been hampered by the underinvestment in higher education in the past decade. This chronic, long-term underinvestment undermines the capacity to engage with specific target cohorts of potential applicants such as students in Northern Ireland and their schools, where a long-term programme of awareness raising and relationship building is required if a significant number of students are to be attracted. There would be considerable scope for strengthening guidance support to potential students, with relevant and up-to-date information on possible pathways and opportunities that teachers and guidance professionals could promote on both sides of the Border. I believe this was referenced earlier by my colleagues from the Union of Students in Ireland. However, this is cost intensive and it would need a longer-term approach to deliver results.

The good co-operation on North-South research programmes funded by the shared island unit shows that there can be success in this regard. There is increased North-South mobility of PhD students. While these figures are small, it is an important area of focus in a post-Brexit, all-island context. These are key areas of development in addressing all-island challenges.

For North-South enrolments to improve, we make four recommendations; namely, that delayed timelines for the leaving certificate results must be addressed urgently, the accommodation and cost-of-living issues need to be addressed for Northern Ireland students, as well as for all students, if barriers to entry are to be overcome, system-level awareness raising and relationship building is required to support greater student mobility in both directions and the shared island unit research programme should be expanded with further postgraduate places for Northern Ireland students. I am happy to take up any of these points to explore them further with the committee.