From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
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The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris, has today announced a new scholarship for Korean students to study English as part of the Team Ireland Trade Mission Week in the Republic of Korea.
The Student Ambassador Scholarship Scheme, which is provided for by Marketing English in Ireland member schools, will see nine Korean students have the opportunity to travel to Ireland during the month of March to study English in some of Ireland’s most prominent English language schools.
The programme, which will coincide with the St Patrick’s Day Festival, will include language training, tailored excursions, and accommodation and student ambassador gatherings.
The initiative is designed to offer Korean students an unparalleled opportunity to further their education while serving as cultural ambassadors for Ireland.
The chosen ambassadors will have an educational or professional background in digital marketing or social media content creation. They will support the schools in their development of digital marketing strategy for the Korean market.
Speaking in Seoul today, Minister Harris said:
“Ireland’s English language sector has long established links, with Korean students travelling to Ireland since the early 1990s.
“More than 150,000 students from 112 countries travel to Ireland each year to learn English, contributing more than €1.2 billion to the Irish economy. While student numbers from Korea have been strong in the past, the COVID-19 pandemic has had a knock on effect on the numbers of these students coming to study to Ireland.
“We hope that this visit to the Republic of Korea and the launch of this new scholarship scheme will showcase to our Korean partners all that Ireland has to offer and highlight to students our excellent and experienced language schools; encouraging them to make Ireland their first choice for English language education.”
Speaking at the launch, Lorcan O'Connor Lloyd, Chief Executive Officer of Marketing English in Ireland (MEI) said:
“This scholarship programme signifies our sectors dedication to promoting language as a bridge between cultures, creating a brighter and more interconnected future for students and communities alike. We look forward to welcoming these students to our schools in March next year.”
The nine English language schools contributing to the Student Ambassador Scholarship are:
1. Emerald Cultural Institute
2. ATC Language School
3. Atlas Language School
4. The Centre of English Studies
5. Future Learning
6. Apollo Language School
7. Babel Academy of English
8. International House
9. ELI Schools
Details on how to apply for the scholarship will be available on the MEI website in due course.