Profiles Of Our Member Universities

Our member universities are committed to maintaining the best quality and practice in research, teaching and learning while also maintaining strong links with business and the public sector.

Within our universities over 156,000 students have access to unprecedented opportunities across every facet of the university experience. This includes over 20,000 international students from more than 120 countries who are living and studying in Ireland reflecting the attractiveness of the Irish university experience to students from across the globe.

Ireland has moved towards becoming a more highly skilled and educated population in recent decades. In 2000 less than 78,000 students were enrolled, compared to over 128,000 by 2019. This reflects both a growth in the university aged cohort and a shift to more highly skilled employment. The importance of higher education is evident in the high value-added sectors of the Irish economy such as information and communication, professional, scientific and technical activities.

Our universities also play a significant role in Irish social and cultural life. They are deeply embedded in the communities in which they are located with socio-cultural activities spanning tourism, sport, music and entertainment, arts and culture.