100 students planned to study abroad in Ireland in 2018 through AFS
NEW YORK, NY (2 May 2018): AFS Intercultural Programs is proud to announce the expansion of our global organization to include AFS Ireland as the 61st member. AFS will now offer more international education opportunities in Ireland, an increasingly important and popular English-speaking destination. We anticipate that at least 100 students will study abroad with AFS in Ireland in 2018.
Ireland is a key destination for study abroad, making up 9% of the global English language travel market. Currently, 10.6% of students enrolled at the higher education level in Ireland are internationals, and with that percentage being even lower at the secondary level, the market has a potential for growth. With youth accounting for one third of the country’s population, AFS will also offer new opportunities for Irish teenagers to study abroad in more than 90 countries.
AFS Ireland will be operated by EIL Intercultural Learning, an Irish non-profit organisation that provides study abroad, volunteer abroad, language training, community service, and other educational and cultural immersion activities for 2,000 people annually. EIL Ireland has been in operation for nearly 55 years. AFS Ireland will offer a range of AFS programs , including High School Study Abroad, as well as short-term Global Prep and volunteer opportunities for teens and adults.
“We are delighted to join AFS because of our shared mission to provide intercultural learning experiences that inspire global citizenship,” says Kevin Hickey, CEO of EIL Intercultural Learning. “AFS’s dynamic new global strategy and volunteer-driven operations worldwide will help us expand access to international education through AFS’s innovative and research-based program models.”
Daniel Obst, President and CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, is pleased to welcome an experienced new member to the global organization that has offered international exchange programs since 1947. “AFS is committed to expanding our reach and empowering more people of all ages and all backgrounds to become active global citizens and make a positive difference in their communities and around the world. Expanding our network to include AFS Ireland will maximize our efforts to advance intercultural understanding by globalizing more schools and reaching more communities.