A North-South comparison of education and training systems: lessons for policy

Abstract

The mission of the Economic and Social Research Institute is to advance evidencebased policymaking that supports economic sustainability and social progress in Ireland. ESRI researchers apply the highest standards of academic excellence to challenges facing policymakers, focusing on 12 areas of critical importance to 21st century Ireland.The Institute was founded in 1960 by a group of senior civil servants led by Dr T.K. Whitaker, who identified the need for independent and in-depth research analysis to provide a robust evidence base for policymaking in Ireland.Since then, the Institute has remained committed to independent research and its work is free of any expressed ideology or political position. The Institute publishes all research reaching the appropriate academic standard, irrespective of its findings or who funds the research.The quality of its research output is guaranteed by a rigorous peer review process. ESRI researchers are experts in their fields and are committed to producing work that meets the highest academic standards and practices.The work of the Institute is disseminated widely in books, journal articles and reports. ESRI publications are available to download, free of charge, from its website. Additionally, ESRI staff communicate research findings at regular conferences and seminars.The ESRI is a company limited by guarantee, answerable to its members and governed by a Council, comprising 14 members who represent a cross-section of ESRI members from academia, civil services, state agencies, businesses and civil society. The Institute receives an annual grant-in-aid from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the scientific and public interest elements of the Institute's activities; the grant accounted for an average of 30 per cent of the Institute's income over the lifetime of the last Research Strategy. The remaining funding comes from research programmes supported by government departments and agencies, public bodies and competitive research programmes.

Comparing migrant integration in Ireland and Northern Ireland

“…School socio-economic composition also has a much stronger effect on student outcomes in Northern Ireland -over and above an individual student's background. This is consistent with the findings of Smyth et al (2022), who find much larger differences between schools in Northern Ireland than in Ireland, and attribute this to the selective nature of secondary education in Northern Ireland. 45 Further research would be needed to investigate in more depth whether migrantorigin children are less likely to be found in the more advantaged grammar schools in Northern Ireland, and whether this contributes to their lower achievement scores.…”

Gender and labour market inclusion on the island of Ireland

“…Differences in employment rates, levels of part-time work and access to professional/managerial jobs relate to lower levels of educational qualifications in Northern Ireland than in Ireland. This pattern provides further evidence of the consequences of higher rates of early school leaving in Northern Ireland and the role of the transfer test system in reinforcing educational inequality (see Smyth et al, 2022). The movement of a significant cohort of young adults from Northern Ireland to other parts of the UK for higher education, and the fact that many do not return, also has significant implications for the overall educational profile of the population in Northern Ireland (Smyth and Darmody, 2023).…”

“…Moreover, the economies of Ireland and Northern Ireland have followed different trajectories (Bergin and McGuinness, 2022), which shapes the opportunity structures for both women and men. Education and training systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland are also quite distinct, leading to significant differences in the qualification levels of those living in two jurisdictions (Smyth et al, 2022). Patterns of migration and other demographic features such as differential divorce/ separation rates and birth rates may also lead to differences in the labour force participation of women and men in Ireland and Northern Ireland.…”

“…The policy and societal context | 17 (Smyth et al, 2022;, with this group facing considerable barriers in the labour market (Brunello and De Paola, 2014). Previous comparative research also finds that 'the return to education in Ireland substantially exceeds that in Northern Ireland at all levels of educational attainment' (Smyth et al, 2022, p. viii); this means that the relative cost of lower education qualifications in terms of pay may be greater in Ireland even if the prevalence is lower.…”

Contrasting housing supply in Ireland, Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom

“…In reviewing education and training systems in Ireland and Northern Ireland, Smyth et al (2022) highlight the importance of greater cooperation and coordination across the two different sets of training and educational programmes. This is especially the case given the common issues faced in both jurisdictions.…”