Universities are on the drive to boost numbers and ensure that Africans represent between 10-30% of international students as they seek desired diversity targets.

The universities operating under Education in Ireland banner group blame low awareness about the destination in Africa as one of the reasons for the numbers, where the destination is overshadowed by traditional destinations such as the UK, US and Canada.

The fact that the country does not have embassies in many African countries save a few in West, East and Southern African countries has also been an obstacle, according to one stakeholder.

The processing of study permits could take as many as 12 weeks in places where the country does not have an embassy, but the same could last only three weeks in other locations, Nick Marmion, head of Middle East and Africa division at the group that sits within Enterprise Ireland, exclusively told The PIE News.

While the current number of Africans in the country’s universities is low, it is a big improvement from the continent’s 500-600 students, mainly from Nigeria, who were studying Irish universities five years ago, Marmion observed.

The group is strategically marketing destination Ireland in West, East and Southern Africa regions, starting with countries where it has embassies for expedited processing of visa applications for prospective students.

They have for a while had a marked presence in Nigeria, where they have largely attracted postgraduate students, he revealed.

“We are now starting with East African countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Uganda after Nigeria then move to South Africa-countries where we can process student visas in a timely manner,” he said.

“Our universities have small recruitment and cannot be everywhere, but South Africa for example is good since they do not require visas to come to Ireland, while Kenyan students tend to do well in school.”

Education in Ireland will also deal directly with international high schools.

Marketing efforts – for the students that he acknowledged are more used to hearing about the UK – will be combined with social media marketing and fairs, he added.

“Our universities love African students because they are very motivated to succeed”

Targets are not only about focused on numbers, but also on increasing diversity and the quality of students recruited, Marmion explained.

“Our universities love African students because they are very motivated to succeed, and also because they are mainly self-funded,” he said.

Unlike places like the UK where some institutions could attain as much as 45% international students, mainly because they were privately owned, the situation was different in Ireland where many universities were public, and where profits were not a motivation.

Compared to other competitors, fees in Ireland are as much as 10-30% lower for top quality education, with two years’ post-study working opportunities being an added advantage.

Additionally, students are allowed to work for 40 hours during holidays and 20 hours during study period.

Ireland is among emerging destinations that include European countries such as Cyprus and others including Dubai and China, he observed.

“Ireland is already receiving many EU, Latin, Asian and some African countries,” Sheetal Choraria from NCC Education said.

The lack of an online application system makes visa application lengthy, she noted.

Many English-speaking countries’ universities have only marketed themselves in the southern region of South Africa, where they have received impressive numbers in recent times, Choraria added.

Last year Education in Ireland held recruitment drives in West and Southern Africa regions and the East African cities of Kampala in Uganda, and Nairobi and Mombasa in Kenya.

The country’s 18 higher learning institutions promise a “welcoming and safe” environment along with the fact that Irish universities are ranked among the top 5% globally.

In addition, they market the destination using the popular “Silicon Valley of Europe”, and “home to over 1,000” multinational companies, presenting students with an ideal place for potential industrial attachments, as well as internships opportunities.

African student numbers increased by 61% between 2018 and 2021, growing from 800 in 2018 to 1,300 students in 2020.

The biggest growth was in 2019 when those enrolling jumped to 1,230, up from 800 the previous year.