Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 143: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills, further to Parliamentary Question No. 174 of 19 October 2010, if she will clarify the discrepancy between the figures given by her for full-time overseas students as given to her by Enterprise Ireland at 26,000 in 2009 and the statistical data published by the Higher Education Authority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40107/10]

Michael Ring (Mayo, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 144: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that the statistical information on the country of origin of students at full-time higher education colleges here, as published by the Higher Education Authority, is accurate and comprehensive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40110/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 144 and 143 together.

There are a number of differences in the way the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and Enterprise Ireland collect and report data pertaining to international students, reflecting the different purposes for which the data sets are intended. In brief, the Enterprise Ireland data is collected from a larger number of institutions, and covers more categories of student than the HEA data. In line with its remit to promote international education, including both the public and private sectors, Enterprise Ireland reports data from 51 institutions, including universities, institutes and technology and other institutions in receipt of State funding and also HETAC-recognised private sector institutions. In this data, it includes short term exchange students.

The HEA restricts its reporting to full-time students in the universities, institutes of technology and seven other institutions which are in receipt of public funding. Their figures do not include certain categories of exchange students. In line with the Government's new international education strategy, Investing in Global Relationships, it is intended that, from 2011, an annual report on international education will be produced which includes data on all international students in Ireland, bringing together data from the HEA, Enterprise Ireland and also Fáilte Ireland, which collects information on English language students.