Irish, Chinese universities sign deals to strengthen ties

Ireland's Education and Skills Minister Jan O'Sullivan yesterday ended a weeklong visit to China by witnessing the signing in Shanghai of three agreements between universities and professional groups from the two countries.

The politician, who was making her first trip to the country, traveled with a delegation from 12 Irish universities and colleges, all of which have strong ties with China.

"It has been a very valuable visit," O'Sullivan told Shanghai Daily.

"Ireland has been invited to be the country of honor for the China Higher Education Expo in 2016," she said.

Among the institutions signing deals yesterday were Shanghai's Fudan University and University College Dublin, whose ties date back more than a decade.

In a bid to add to the more than 500 students who have already achieved joint bachelor's degrees with the institutions, the pair will also now offer joint master's degrees in computer science and software development.

Tongji University and the University of Limerick, meanwhile, renewed a dual master's degree program in financial services and computational finance. The course gives students the chance to study in both countries and includes an internship in Shanghai.

Finally, China's Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and University of Limerick signed an agreement to offer Chinese students who complete a four-year bachelor's degree in accounting, or selected ACCA papers, to do their postgraduate study in accounting at the University of Limerick.

About 5,000 Chinese students every year go to study in Ireland, O'Sullivan said.

"One of the things Ireland has to offer Chinese students is the chance to make contact with a lot of multinational companies," she said.

"Students can also stay in the country for up to a year after they finish their studies," O'Sullivan said.