Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
905. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science his plans to encourage greater participation by Japanese students in third level institutions and continuing educational opportunities in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28062/26]
View answerCurrently, there are around 120 students from Japan enrolled in Ireland's publicly funded higher education institutions at undergraduate and postgraduate level. In 2024, Japanese students accounted for an estimated market value of €1.5million for the Irish higher education sector.
My Department engages Enterprise Ireland for the marketing and promotion of the Education in Ireland brand overseas and the development, promotion and marketing of international higher education markets, in line with overall government strategies.Last year, I visited Tokyo and Osaka, where Expo was taking place. While in Japan, I met with the Japanese Minister for Science and Technology Policy, as well as leaders in research institutions. It was an opportunity for me to highlight the many reforms undertaken which positions Ireland's tertiary education institutions as quality driven, with a strong focus on a welcoming and supportive framework for international students. Japan represents a strategic diversification market in Asia for Education in Ireland and while overall student volumes are modest, the market is stable, of a high quality, and Japanese students’ engagement with the Irish system is strongly supported by their governments student mobility policies. Ireland is well positioned to grow participation in this market through targeted institutional partnerships and, English-language and skills-focused programmes. Ongoing and planned actions by Education in Ireland include supporting our HEIs on a 1:1 basis, participation at Japanese government education fairs, and educational agent outreach programmes, which will provide a strong platform for incremental but sustainable growth.
