Notes on Meeting with Cormac Kavanagh from Education in Ireland and LouiseThangpitakpaisal, Further Education Co. Ltd.
September 29, 2015, 10:00-12:30; for PNRU: NaremonSangkavitoon(Sai), Walter Pickering
Topic: Visit by Representatives of eight Irish universities and institutes of technology, November 16, 2015, 09:30-11:30.
List of Participants on Irish Side for November Meeting
Mr. Terry McParland—Manager, Enterprise Ireland &Education in Ireland (www.enterprise-ireland.com & www.educationinireland.com)
Mr. Cormac Kavanagh, Education Consultant, Malaysia, Education in Ireland
Ms. PraneeThangpitakpaisal (Louise), Managing Director, Further Education Co., Ltd.
Irish Universities and Institutes of Technology
1. Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) www.ait,ie
2. Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) www.cit.ie
3. Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) www.dit.ie
4. Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) www.dkit.ie
5. Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) www.gmit.ie
6. Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) www.wit.ie
7. Griffith College Dublin (GCD) www.gcd.ie Private
8. National College of Ireland (NCI) www.ncirl.ie Private
From Louise’s email of September 8, 2015:
Those possible opportunities which are mentioned by Dr. Pong Horadal, the PNRU President in our 1st meeting, are including:-
• Sending PNRU’s teachers and staff to attend trainings in some specific areas in Ireland
• Developing academic collaboration with Irish institutions
• Inviting teacher students from Ireland to do their Practical Training (in teaching) at PNRU and it affricated institutions, ranging from Demonstration Secondary Schools, international college and universities throughout Thailand
• Exploring opportunities to exchange students and staff
• Inviting Guest Lectures from Ireland to meet and teach students in the PNRU
• Etc.
STEM education will be considered.
Notes from the meeting today:
1. Dublin is more expensive than other urban centres in Ireland. Up country schools sometimes combine accommodation packages into their fee structures. Accommodation is an issue in Dublin; it can be found but it is difficult. Thai students registering in summer might find it easier because some Irish students vacant their accommodations over the summer.
2. Institutes of Technology tend to have a discipline focus. What distinguishes them from the universities is their breadth of disciplines – universities have more breadth.
3. Dundalk IT has many Asian students; it is 70-80 km north of Dublin. It sponsored seven Thai students after the tsunami in 2004.
4. Dublin IT is the largest in Ireland, and almost has university status.
5. QQI is the qualification body in Ireland. They will send a link to the chart of the level system.
6. Cork IT is strong in marine studies and has an SME incubation centre called Rubicon, which is very successful.
7. Cork IT and Griffithmay be strong in STEM. University College Dublin and Dublin City Universityhave a strong interest in STEM.
8. PNRU will probably not be too helpful in recruiting undergraduate students for Irish schools. However, there may be opportunities for exchanges in both undergraduate and graduate education, including in business (tourism, hospitality, and logistics), industrial technology, education, science and technology and in languages/humanities. (Cormac thinks Ireland does not have an airlines business management program).
9. Opportunities at the graduate level for PNRU may be in STEM and education.
10. We will focus initially on exchanges, university research seminars, and possibly training of PNRU faculty by Irish professors.
11. Ireland’s experience with exchanges is about 3 to 1 inbound. This is probably largely because foreign schools have done little marketing of themselves in Ireland. Institutions need to go to Ireland to make themselves known. They will receive a warm welcome and because there are so few outbound exchanges it should be relatively easy to start some.
12. With the group coming in November, they are from the international offices. There is a need to help them focus on academic exchange possibilities as much as possible for their visit to PNRU.
13. In terms of students going to study in Ireland, it is easier to match students and programs at the Master’s level. PhD students need to identify a research supervisor first.
14. Regarding scholarships, each institution has some; UCD has given Thai students scholarships in the past (Terry). Some schools give accommodation waivers. It may be possible to negotiate scholarship money for a PNRU graduate student.
15. For visas, Thai students need to apply in April or May for travel about two months later.
16. Example of Griffith as a possible exchange partner, might include student teachers, with Irish students coming here for practicum periods; PNRU student teachers could also go there. Language is a critical consideration: Louise can help with proficiency verification.
17. PNRU delegates to the November meeting: key people from administration, international college, graduate school, and faculties of education, business, industrial technology, languages and humanities, and science and technology.
18. Prior to the meeting, we will do the following:
Cormac will provide a summary of the institutions; he will ask for a two page summary from each speaker to be handed out to participants.
Walter will provide a background on PNRU, identify more clearly areas of interest with backgrounds from interested faculties here.
19. Structure of the meeting, estimated to total about 25-30 persons:
I. Opening remarks: welcome by Dr. Pong, introduction by Mr. Terry McParland
II. Each Irish institution will have 3 to 5 minutes to address their particular interests on the agreed opportunities
III. After each speaker, the audience will have 5 minutes to ask questions
IV. There will be a 30 minute one on one session during which PNRU faculty can meet with representatives of institutions of particular interest
V. Coffee and tea will be served before the start and after the short presentations
20. There may be two academics, from Cork and Griffith coming to Bangkok to give papers on educational pedagogy and using videos as a teaching tool. Cormac will investigate further, it would be a different activity.
21. Investigate Erasmus Mundi as an opportunity for Thai students. Some Malaysian students have benefitted from this.
22. Additional topics and activities may be added by others.