Levant Education had the pleasure of accompanying Enterprise Ireland and Irish education providers to Tehran in November to look at opportunities for future business from Iran.
With political tensions affecting relations between Iran and other English speaking destinations, Ireland represents an excellent option for Iranians considering studying language or at university abroad.
Currently numbers of Iranians studying in Ireland is relatively small compared to other nationalities, however with marketing efforts improving and greater awareness of Ireland as a study destination, Iran has the potential to become a top 10 source market for Irish universities.
Factors driving demand for study abroad in Iran include limited local capacity, career development, business needs, and assisting the country to rejoin the international community. Ireland offers a safe environment, is an EU member country, is English speaking, has no record of interference in Iranian political or economic affairs, and offers courses that are on average 30% cheaper than those in the UK.
Importantly for international students graduating in Ireland, post-study work visas are offered after UG (12 months) and PG (24 months) courses. With Ireland home to dozens of international businesses and multinational corporations – and many more moving to Ireland as the UK exits the EU – career development opportunities will be a key pull-factor for international students deciding on where to attend university.
