Ireland’s long-standing educational ties overseas have been further strengthened by an exciting new partnership between IT Sligo and one of Malaysia’s premier higher education institutions.
IT Sligo has secured a pathway agreement with Tunku Abdul Rahman University College (TAR UC), which will provide new degree completion opportunities for Malaysian students here in Ireland.
The tie-in has been facilitated by Education in Ireland, the national brand managed by Enterprise Ireland which promotes Irish Higher Education Institutions overseas.
Granted University status in 2013, TAR UC is a multi-campus university college. Its main educational hub, in Malaysia’s capital city of Kuala Lumpur, is home to 19,000 students.
The new partnership means that students from Malaysia will have degree completion opportunities in a number of courses at IT Sligo.
“There is already a strong track record of education cooperation between Malaysia and Ireland,” explains Patrick Lynch, International Manager at IT Sligo. “Malaysian students have been coming to Ireland to study medicine and dentistry for many years. Our new agreement looks to build on and develop this relationship.”
The IT Sligo-TAR UC collaboration provides a pathway for some of Malaysia’s diploma graduates in disciplines such as Food Science, Biology & Chemistry, Sport and Exercise Science and Accounting to enter Year 3 degree programmes in related fields of study across IT Sligo’s Schools of Science and Business & Social Sciences.
“This agreement is a further illustration of IT Sligo’s growing reputation within the field of Science as an internationally recognised learning centre,” says Dr Jeremy Bird, Head of School of Science at IT Sligo.
“It is also an exciting partnership for staff members of IT Sligo,” adds Dr Perry Share, Head of the Institute’s School of Business & Social Sciences. “As part of the agreement, some of our academic staff will travel to Malaysia later this year to give guest lectures,” he says.
17 Malaysian students are currently studying at IT Sligo across a variety of degree programmes. These include Architectural Design, Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Science, Business and Finance & Investment.
IT Sligo has a diverse and vibrant international student population comprising 350 students (2015/2016) – and this number is growing. The intake spans both EU and non-EU countries such as Malaysia, Brazil, Oman, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Canada.
Photo caption:
Datuk Dr. Tan Chik Haeok, President of TARC University College, Malaysia, with Patrick Lynch, International Manager at IT Sligo.