Professor Ciar?n ? h?gartaigh:

There would be significant opportunity for policy change, in that we could consider policy changes together, for example, mutual recognition, joint programmes and, like the shared island initiative, the funding of those North and South. If there were pathways between programmes such as Erasmus+ it would work well. There would also be a forum for discussion such as this one. The joint committee has had a good discussion, but I am speaking about having it on a North-South basis. I am representing Queens, UU and Open University here, but having that discussion at policy level for the island in general would be good. The benefits, therefore, would be policy change around particular issues, with information sharing being one of those, joint funding of initiatives, particularly joint programmes and pathways, and a North-South forum to have this discussion. The Oireachtas has discussed it, which is welcome, but it would be even more welcome as a North-South initiative.