50,000 Students from Ireland have taken part in the Erasmus+ Programme



Maura O'Shea

By Maura O'Shea

Posted: 18 April, 2017

Exterior of Cork Institute of Technology

“50,000 students from Ireland have participated in the EU’s study and work abroad programme since 1987” according to HEA Chairman Michael Horgan. Speaking at the launch of the Erasmus Learning Area at the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin Mr. Horgan added “The Erasmus+ programme has played a vital role in improving the cultural awareness and employability of Irish graduates as well greatly facilitating collaborative opportunities between academic and technical staff in this country and their colleagues across the continent of Europe – all essential elements in the internationalisation of higher education in this country.

The new facility at the Gardens provides a horticultural learning space mainly targeted at primary school children and is a joint venture between the Erasmus+ National Agency at the HEA and the Office of Public Works. It was officially opened today (Friday 23 September 2016) by Mairéad McGuinness MEP and Vice-President of the European Parliament.

Speaking at the event Ms McGuinness said “The Erasmus+ programme is a great example of European cooperation. Young people have the opportunity to get to know their peers across Europe, making connections that last them a lifetime. As the EU comes under pressure, it is programmes like Erasmus+ that remind us of the value of European integration. And we must work to make sure it is as inclusive in practice as in principle. In that regard, I have worked to ensure thatthe needs of students with disabilities are addressed when participating in Erasmus+.”

Ms Felicity Gaffney of the National Botanic Gardens commented “Having a dedicated space for education in the gardens will help us further develop our education programmes. There is increasing evidence of the disconnect that our young people are experiencing with regards to nature, it is our ambition that with the development of this new garden, we will be able to deliver an expanded education programme which will provide children with a more hands on experience in the gardens and develop a deeper and more meaningful connection with soil and nature.”

Note for Editors
The higher education component of Erasmus+ is managed by the Higher Education Authority. Ireland currently sends over 3,000 students on study and work abroad schemes each year drawn from 35 higher education institutions. In excess of 7,000 students come to Ireland on similar activities each year.

More: Erasmus+, Europe, Internationalisation, Mairéad McGuinness, National Botanic Gardens

Our use of cookies

We use necessary cookies to make our site work. We'd also like to set optional analytics cookies to help us improve it. We won't set these optional cookies unless you enable them. Using this tool will set a cookie on your device to remember your preferences.

For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our Privacy Policy page


Necessary cookies

Necessary cookies enable core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility. You may disable these by changing your browser settings, but this may affect how the website functions.


Analytics cookies

We'd like to set Google Analytics cookies to help us to improve our website by collecting and reporting information on how you use it. The cookies collect information in a way that does not directly identify anyone.