Andrew Doyle (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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124. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the recent signing of a memorandum of understanding on a research and student exchange agreement in Dublin between the University of Maryland and University College Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31332/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The position is that higher education institutions, including universities such as UCD, are autonomous bodies and their day to day operational affairs including issues such as the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the University of Maryland are the responsibility of the management authority and governing body of the University. However I have been advised that UCD and the University of Maryland are at an advanced stage of finalising an MOU stating the intention of the institutions to collaborate across a range of potential areas including student exchange and collaborative research.

I also understand that the universities are in the process of finalising a specific Memoranda of Agreement (MOA) covering the terms under which the two institutions will exchange students. An initial signing ceremony for both documents took place in Dublin on 20th June 2013.