International Student Forums
ICOS has worked with the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) to hold events bringing together students from a range of countries and Higher Education Institutions to discuss issues of importance to their studies and overall experience in Ireland. Each forum event has a particular theme and is written up as a report. The issues identified by students are very important to our work on policy and good practice.
Dublin, Limerick and Galway 2018
In November 2018, ICOS, in conjunction with USI, held a series of International Student Forums in Dublin, Limerick and Galway, aimed at bringing international students together to share their experiences on the core themes of academic and social life at Irish colleges. In total, 54 international students across 10 HEIs participated in the forums.
Dublin 2017
With increasing numbers of international students, how are Irish higher level institutions (HEIs) performing in terms of delivering a high quality student experience? To find out, ICOS and USI brought together 20 students from 13 different countries and attending 12 different institutions in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Belfast.
The forum focused on the areas of accommodation and student well-being.
Dublin, Cork and Galway 2013
As part of a consultation on Ireland's internationalisation strategy, focus groups in Dublin, Cork and Galway set out to ascertain students’ opinions on Ireland’s educational offering with the first part of the discussion looking at motivation and expectations and the second part looking at overall experiences as an international student in Ireland.
Support was provided by the Department of Education and Skills and Education In Ireland.
Cork 2012
The forum was attended by 30 students from a variety of countries and provided a good chance to discuss issues of importance to their studies and overall experience in Ireland. Students from University College Cork (UCC), Cork English College (CEC) and IT Sligo attended. A number of students were studying in UCC for a semester as part of their US degree.
Dublin 2012
The forum was attended by 36 students from a variety of countries and provided a good chance to discuss issues of importance to their studies and overall experience in Ireland. Students from Champlain College, DCU, DIT, GCD, International School of Business,NCI, NUI Maynooth, TCD and UCD attended. There was a mix of long and short term students studying from undergraduate to PhD level.
Cork 2007
The forum looked at Irish higher education from the international students’ perspective and explored barriers to their fuller integration and participation into campus life, and Irish life generally. It was also a celebration of the contribution of international students to the growing diversity within the Irish educational system and in the wider society, and aimed to identify ways in which international student organisations can work together, and with ICOS and other agencies, including Government, to address concerns and contribute to policy development.