Improving Cross-border Access to Third-level Education, Alternative Qualifications as Barriers to Mobility

Considering the fact that Ireland is a small island which shares a common language and two intimately comparable education systems, it would be natural to assume that large numbers of students from each jurisdiction would cross the border each year to study.

Unfortunately, the reality of the scale of cross-border study is that only a very small proportion of students choose to further their education within the alternative jurisdiction.

This paper constitutes a preliminary examination of the impact of this situation on the educational experiences of affected students, and will attempt to pinpoint the root causes of this barrier to free movement, focusing primarily on the reported experience of educational practitioners.

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