Ireland has signed an agreement with Brazil that will bring 4,000 undergraduate students to Irish universities over the next four years under the Science Without Borders scholarship programme.
Including the 1,500 postgraduate students announced in a similar agreement last June, around 5,600 Brazilian students will be studying in Ireland by 2016, contributing an estimated €34 million in fees and additional spending to the Irish economy.
The programme puts in place funding for an additional 1,400 students per annum
“The agreement marks the start of a new and significant relationship between Brazilian higher education institutes and their Irish counterparts,” said Ireland’s minister for trade and development, Joe Costello. “This is a major boost for the international third level education sector in Ireland.”
Currently Ireland hosts 100 Brazilian university students but new funding will provide for an additional 1,400 per annum, driving up university collaboration, research and student exchange in STEM subjects.
Links between Brazilian and Irish universities are expected to rise to over 100 by 2015 from the 10 that exist today.
In support of the programme, Education in Ireland has launched an online portal in Portuguese to enable Brazilian students and academics to search for higher education courses, learn about living in Ireland and gain practical advice on applying to university.
Countries already participating in Science Without Borders include the US, Canada, Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Australia and Belgium. Unveiled in April 2011, the government-backed programme will enable 100,000 Brazilians to study 1-year undergraduate and PhD courses (plus full PhDs) in STEM or creative disciplines at top universities abroad.