Irish Government Signs up as First Lead Partner for Major US Study Abroad Initiative - Department of Education and Skills

Ireland’s Minister for Education and Skills, Jan O'Sullivan TD, along with the US Ambassador to Ireland, Kevin F. O’Malley, today announced that she has approved Education in Ireland to participate in Generation Study Abroad™, an initiative of the Institute of International Education (IIE),which aims to double the US students studying abroad by the end of the decade.

Under the agreement, Minister O’Sullivan’s Department will provide $100,000 to IIE’s Generation Study Abroad fund which will see Ireland participating as a Lead Signature Partner. The majority of the funding will be used to provide incentive grants to colleges and universities from across the United States, which the institutions will match and award as student scholarships which will be known as Ireland - IIE Generation Study Abroad Scholarships.

- See more at: http://www.education.ie/en/Press-Events/Press-Releases/2015-Press-Releases/PR15-01-11.html#sthash.Eipg07H0.333mO5qV.dpuf

FIE Student Global Leadership Conference

The Foundation for International Education is offering ASAPI affiliated students a 20% discount on the registration fee for their 2015 Student Global Leadership Conference being held in London on April 12, 2015. In addition to recruiting student delegates, the call for proposals is open to professional colleagues. If you have any questions about the conference or proposals, please contact ASAPI co-chair (and FIE Dublin Director), Karl Dowling.

Working Holiday Visas for Students and Recent Graduates

The Association of Study Abroad Providers in Ireland (ASAPI) has been given further details by the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on the Ireland Working Holiday visa.  This visa allows US citizens to work and travel within Ireland for up to 12 months.  In order to qualify for the program, participants must be either in full-time (i.e. not part time or online) post-secondary education, or have graduated within the last 12 months of their application for the Working Holiday Authorisation. Applications can be made through the Irish Embassy in Washington or the relevant Irish Consulate in the US. We regularly hear from US study abroad students in Ireland who want to return after graduation, and this program provides them with the opportunity.

Please promote this program to your students as a great option for US students who want to live, travel, and work in a fantastic country.

For more information please see https://www.dfa.ie/travel/visas/us-ireland-visa-arrangements/

Ireland Among Top Ten Destinations for US Students Studying Abroad

The 2014 Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange, was released today. The report shows that overall, the number of US students studying abroad grew by 2% from 2011/12 to 2012/13. The number of US students choosing Ireland grew at almost three times that rate. Ireland remains a top ten destination for US students studying abroad. Great infographic linked below (still figuring out WordPress at ASAPI towers!).

Open-Doors-2014-Infographic-US-Student-Study-Abroad

Institute of International Education. (2013).Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. Retrieved from http://www.iie.org/opendoors

Forum on Education Abroad Standards Workshops at UCD

The Forum on Education Abroad, a non-profit organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission as the Standards Development Organization (SDO) for the field of education abroad, will be holding two workshops on their Standards of Good Practice at UCD on 21 November 2014. The first workshop will be an overview of the Standards, and the second will focus on Focus on Standard 4 (Student Preparation for the Learning Abroad Environment & Returning Student Support) and Standard 5 (Student Selection and Code of Conduct). For more details, see http://forumea.org/UCDworkshops14.cfm