According to statistics, more than half of young Irish people - to be precise, 55% - who finish secondary school continue their education in institutions of the so-called 'third level'. Many thousands of them prefer one of seven Irish universities, the rest enter technological institutes or colleges with bachelor's and master's degree programs.
In accordance with the state standard, future bachelors undergo a three-year course of study, upon completion of which they are awarded the Ordinary Bachelors Degree. A number of higher education institutions also offer 'advanced' bachelor's programs designed for four years of study. The corresponding degree is called the Honours Bachelors Degree. It gives the right not only to apply for higher positions compared with the 'ordinary' degree when seeking employment, but also to reduce further study towards a master's degree by one year (if the graduate so wishes), spending just one year instead of two. The pyramid of academic degrees is crowned by the doctoral system traditional for all English-speaking countries (analogous to our postgraduate study). Three years of research work, writing a dissertation and its subsequent defense - and you are the proud holder of a PhD (Philosophie Doctor) degree.
Now let us try to get a closer look at the members of this glorious family.
The eldest 'brother', enjoying deservedly high prestige not only at home but also beyond Ireland's borders, is undoubtedly Dublin University, also known under the 'alias' Trinity College (University of Dublin, Trinity College). It was founded in the distant year 1592 on the model of the already famous 'Britons' - Oxford and Cambridge. Incidentally, the close ties between Trinity College and Oxford remain strong to this day - both schools develop a number of joint projects, practice exchanges of students and faculty, and, in general, as they say, are friends.
Today Trinity College is a small town in the center of Dublin, occupying 45 acres of territory. A particular source of pride is its huge library, which receives a mandatory copy of every book published not only in Ireland but also in the United Kingdom. With such a centuries-long history, it is not surprising that the college has developed a whole array of diverse traditions. One of them is the institution of personal tutors assigned to each future bachelor. The tutors are full-time university staff, and they not only monitor the academic progress of their charges but also help them solve many other problems - from obtaining scholarships to communicating with the dean's office.
Also located in the capital is Dublin City University - one of the youngest Irish higher education institutions, founded in 1980. In fact, its very emergence was driven by the need of the Irish economy for an influx of a new generation of specialists. Dublin City University addresses this task, and quite successfully. Its forte is the application of advanced teaching methods, including an interdisciplinary approach, which makes it possible to produce truly versatile professionals capable of working at the intersection of industries. In terms of forms of study, the university also demonstrates a spirit of innovation - it mainly uses a modular credit system that allows students to avoid stress during the examination session. Dublin City University's master's programs are distinguished by a wide range of specializations, numbering more than 50 positions. The university actively supports cooperation with Irish and international companies interested in new personnel. It is no coincidence that the graduate employment rate here is the highest in the country. Another feature of the university is the promotion of a healthy lifestyle. Having gnashed their teeth on the granite of science, tired students, as well as their teachers, gladly relax in their own fitness center with a sauna. Nearby is the university's healthy eating restaurant, so far the only one in the entire country.
The next four universities - University College Dublin, University College Cork, National University of Ireland, Galway, and National University of Ireland, Maynooth - form their own cell within the 'family', known under the common name National University of Ireland. We will tell about three of them, located not in the capital but in the provinces.
National University of Ireland, Galway. Founded in 1845, the University of Galway successfully combines loyalty to traditions and a drive for innovation. Of its 13,000 students, 1,100 are foreigners coming from 30 countries around the world. Galway's hallmark is its particularly attentive attitude towards students, each of whom, upon entering the university's walls, constantly feels the care of the teaching staff and administration. In the 2002-2003 academic year, Galway won the honorary title of 'University of the Year'. One of its strong areas is considered to be medicine. The university operates several research centers - a biomedical center, a diagnostic center, as well as a center for innovation and strategic planning.
But Galway is famous not only for science. However, it would be strange if, in a city - the cultural capital of Ireland, where every fifth resident is a student - the university closed itself within the narrow confines of academism. Thus, this institution has its own theater with a rich repertoire, whose performances are eagerly attended not only by students themselves, but also by townspeople.
A contemporary of Galway is University College Cork. Today it is the largest and most "international" of the Irish universities, with 15,000 students, of whom 2,000 are foreigners from 75 countries. In addition to a solid academic reputation, the university is renowned for its research, especially in biotechnology and information technology. It houses the Environmental Research Institute and the Biological Research Institute. At the same time, Cork is one of the most "Irish" universities, known not only for its faculty of Celtic studies (the study of Celtic language and culture), but also for the fact that students from any other faculty have the opportunity to take a one-year course introducing them to traditional Irish culture and folk art. For foreign students, as part of the Foundation preparatory course, a six-month introductory program is offered, aimed at introducing them to the values of local culture. In the university library, with its 500,000 volumes, there is a special department for rare books and manuscripts.
National University of Ireland, Maynooth is one of the venerable educational institutions and traces its history back to 1795, when St. Patrick's College received a new status. This is a relatively small university with 6,000 students. But what students—every fifth one continues to a master's programme after completing a bachelor's degree. Maynooth is widely known in Ireland as one of the pillars of research activity: over the past 20 years it has topped rankings for the frequency of mentions in scientific and specialized press. Currently, Maynooth is implementing a modernization project worth a total of €100 million. The funds were obtained from the Irish government as well as national and international private companies. Within the framework of this project, it is planned to completely re-equip laboratories and lecture halls, equip them with the latest computer and other equipment, and also rebuild student dormitories.
We will conclude our story by introducing one more provincial university of Ireland, located in Limerick. The University of Limerick has existed since 1972. Its structure includes six colleges specializing in such fields as business, education, engineering, humanities, computer science and electronics, and natural sciences. Within the bachelor's programme, one can obtain one of 48 specializations. There are also master's and doctoral programmes. Limerick implements a special Cooperative Education Programme, through which every student is attached to an enterprise for at least seven months, where they undergo an internship. Many of them subsequently receive a job offer from that same enterprise. For the past 15 years, the university has been working to attract international students, for whom a special service has been created—the Study Abroad Office.
So, we have sketched a "group portrait" of the close-knit family of Irish universities. Each of them has its own unique features, but whichever you choose, you can be sure that the quality of the education you receive will meet the highest international standards, and all your years of study will pass in a friendly and businesslike atmosphere.