Batt O’Keeffe, minister for education and science of Ireland

By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter

Ireland shares certain similarities with Korea. The third-largest island country in Europe has been subjected to foreign rule and seen its nation divided. It had also suffered from poverty and seen rapid economic growth.

Now, the small but energetic country is geared to extend various joint programs with Korea. Batt O'Keeffe, Ireland's minister for education and science, said he wants to invite many Korean youngsters to the Emerald Isle with its strong indigenous culture.

"We want to promote business, culture and social links with Korea. It has outstanding students in technology and IT, and we are very strong in science, especially life science," O'Keeffe told The Korea Times in an interview, Tuesday.

The top Irish educator came to Seoul Monday in order to tie up partnership with Korea as well as to encourage Irish people here and to celebrate St. Patrick's Day, a traditional Irish holiday, which fell on Wednesday.

O'Keeffe praised high rankings of Korean students in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which was developed by the OECD to evaluate 15-year-old students' academic performances around the world.

"Obviously, when (U.S. President Barack) Obama says (they need to learn from Korea for education), he means Americans need to look at the high PISA rankings in Korea. We are also curious what's behind your success."

Mentioning a meeting with Korean vice education minister before the interview, he said they agreed on scholarship programs for Irish students bound for Korea and the Irish education ministry will provide some 100 Irish youngsters hoping to teach English here every year. "We discussed common education problems and areas we can further collaborate. (The vice education minister) is very keen on education."

He added Korea and Ireland can jointly operate college courses. For example, a two-year program study here and one year there. "We offer quality education and have a very young and intelligent population. Our education is cost-effective. You can study in Ireland for half of the cost needed for that in the U.S.

"The other area we can cooperate in is research. Eight of the top 10 pharmaceutical multinational companies are located in Ireland. Korean students can be part of them."

Regarding the some 300 Irish English teachers holding E-2 visas, O'Keeffe said, "The Irish are extremely well behaved people and friendly," hinting that they can contribute to a better relationship between Korea and Ireland.

During his visit here, O'Keeffe announced the launch of the Working Holiday Agreement (WHA) between the two countries. The program enables a maximum of 400 Koreans between the ages of 18 and 30 to go to Ireland to work and travel for up to 12 months from this year. The two countries signed an agreement on the program, last December.
"The younger we do this, the greater the impact, the greater is the broadening of minds and the more effective is the bridging of the tyranny of distance," O'Keeffe said during a WHA seminar.

"That is why the WHA is so important. It allows young people from Ireland and Korea, countries separated by distance and culture, to explore each other's homes and cultures over an extended period and time. It is an open invitation that says, 'come live with me.'"

With the program being launched, Ireland became the seventh country, which runs that kind of initiative with Korea, following Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Japan, France and Germany.

Those who want to participate in the program need to provide documentary evidence that they have sufficient funds to purchase a return ticket, and maintain themselves for at least the initial part of their trip.

More details on the program are available on the Korean Web site of the Irish Embassy (www.embassyofirleand.or.kr).

kswho@koreatimes.co.kr