The role of technology and education in the development of Ireland.

Prior to the presentation, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Van Kim met with Mr. Damien Cole to welcome him to the University. The Vice-Rector briefly introduced the University and stated that Mr. Damien Cole's presentation was the first step in developing a more robust relationship between the University and Irish universities.

In response, Ambassador Damien Cole also expressed his desire to act as a bridge between universities in Ireland and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities, particularly in the development of the International Development Studies program planned to be established within the Faculty of International Studies. The Ambassador stated that Ireland has many educational institutions specializing in this field and that they can cooperate with the University of Social Sciences and Humanities.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Kim gives a brief introduction to the University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Photo: Tran Minh)

In his presentation, Sir Damien Cole stated that Ireland, a European nation that gained independence less than 100 years ago, has already established close ties with the UK and especially the US. It is a country that has progressed from an agricultural economy to a high-tech economy. So how did Ireland achieve this success?

According to Ambassador Damien Cole, the answer lies primarily in Ireland's education policy. In Ireland, there is close cooperation between universities and technology institutions. Universities have technology centers that allow students to undertake research internships and gain work experience in high-tech zones. Ireland has used one-third of the funds provided by the European Union to invest in education and has reaped tremendous results. It can be said that education is the foundation of development for any nation.

Education is one of the top priorities of the Irish government (Photo: Tran Minh)

The second factor contributing to Ireland's economic development is its policy of attracting foreign direct investment (FDI). A prime example is that large companies like Google and Yahoo have their headquarters in Ireland. The Irish government also established a network of connections between businesses, researchers, and universities to create a strong link between education and the economy. Irish universities attract successful entrepreneurs to teach, ensuring job opportunities for their students. Conversely, businesses frequently connect with universities to find promising candidates. In short, education and investment policies are the two main factors that have largely transformed Ireland from a country that primarily exported agriculture to the UK into a highly developed technological nation capable of reaching out to the world.

Dr. Vu Anh Thu poses a question to Ambassador Damien Cole (Photo: Tran Minh)

During the presentation, Ambassador Damien Cole received many interesting questions on issues such as relations between Ireland and the United States, relations between Ireland and Vietnam, the role of social sciences and humanities schools in Ireland's development, the difficulties in transitioning from an agricultural economy to a high-tech economy, Ireland's policies regarding the welfare of foreign students, and more.