EduCo in Ireland is set to hold agent events in Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya on 11 February and 14 February, respectively. This was announced by Ayo Lasisi, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager for Africa.
“We would like to disseminate the information that Ireland is an ideal study destination for our young African students who wish to gain knowledge and experience in preparation for their future career,” Mr Lasisi says. “We also want to energise the African market by inviting new education counsellors who are proactive in facilitating the requirements of their applicants including the study visas,”
He adds, “Timing is key. Right now, we are busy preparing for the Fall 2020 intake in September. We are also happy to note that agents in Kenya will now be able to easily access the Ireland Embassy which has just opened in their area.”
“Student enrolment has grown from strength to strength especially in the last 12 months, and it’s because Irish institutions have the best return on students’ investment into their future,” Mr Lasisi reveals.
When asked about his plans for his region, Mr Lasisi relates that he has been conducting live events and actively meeting with education agents and supporting them in their enquiries regarding the Irish institutions. “We also have a WhatsApp group chat for all our applicants to easily contact me and my team.”
A growing interest from the African student market
Senior Vice President Jacob Kestner has confirmed that there has been a growing interest from the African student population to explore Ireland as a study destination. EduCo in Ireland has experienced rapid year-on-year growth in student numbers over the last two Fall intakes. “Ireland recorded a 45% growth among non-EEA students over a five-year period,” Mr Kestner points out. “And our efforts in African cities are paying off.”
The team has been actively campaigning for more international students from African capitals to consider Ireland as their study destination. Ireland offers great value for money with annual costs for tuition starting from €9,500 and living expenses around €10,000 according to Mr Kestner. International students can get a part-time job to help defray the costs. In Ireland, international students are allowed to work for a maximum of 20 hours per week during the school term and 40 hours per week on school breaks.
A positive student experience
Living away from their home country is not an easy change for young students and EduCo has been actively supporting them in their journey as they adapt to the education system, the culture and the weather. Thus far, studying in Ireland has been a wonderful experience for students based on testimonials from the students themselves. According to the Irish Survey of Student Engagement National Report 2019, 79% of international students reveal that they have a positive student experience.
“Our partner institutions such as Dublin City University, IT Sligo, Maynooth University and TU Dublin offer Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in business and STEM fields. These are highly-recognised education institutions that offer the best value for money as well as good quality education and practical work experience through an established industry network,” says Mr Kester. For example, a number of our Maynooth University graduates have landed good jobs just a few months after graduating from their degree program.”
