Ireland has become the third country to take advantage of MyStay International’s quality-based standards for international student accommodation with the launch of the new Irish Homestay Network.
The IHN was launched after an industry meeting attended by many of Ireland’s leading international institutions who pledged their support for new standards being introduced for accommodation and homestay.
“Ireland… has been successful in attracting more than its fair share of international students”
The meeting heard from David Bycroft, founder of MyStay International, the Australian Homestay Network and the American Homestay Network who was in Dublin to officially launch the IHN.
The attendees – who represented over 20,000 International students per annum visiting Ireland for study – responded positively to the introduction of MSI standards, with many stating that the international student experience needed to be bought to the forefront of Ireland’s strategy.
Formal agreements to finalise the establishment of the IHN were signed with local businessmen Paul Mullally and Hugh Hughes.
John Daly, owner of Atlantic Language school said it was “a very welcome development for Ireland’s international education industry”, and he supported the opportunity to engage further with the initiative.
“This initiative to bring quality standards to the student accommodation sector was long overdue and would help Ireland build its reputation in a highly competitive and dynamic International student market,” he said.
Lucia Reynolds, brand manager of Education in Ireland expressed the organisation “welcome quality standards being brought to the accommodation sector for International students in Ireland.”
Ireland has been on the end of negative publicity recently surrounding it’s international student accommodation issues, some of which are currently being addressed through the establishment of the International Education Mark.
However speaking at the launch, Bycroft said that his global Homestay Network could not ignore Ireland and its growing share of the international student study market.
“Ireland is boxing above its weight and like Australia, has been successful in attracting more than its fair share of international students,” he added.
MSI is a finalist in the 2018 PIEoneer Awards for the ‘International Student Accommodation Provider of the Year’, taking place on September 7.