The number of Irish third-level students studying abroad on Erasmus programmes is falling while the number of European students studying in the Republic is increasing, according to new figures.
European Commission statistics show 1,572 Irish students studied in other European countries during the academic year 2004/2005, compared with 1,705 students during the 2003/2004 academic year. The Republic was one of only four EU states which saw a decrease in students studying abroad.
The number of European students studying in the Republic between 2004/2005 rose to 3,649, from 3,584 the previous academic year. The UK was the only European country which saw a decrease in the number of students studying in British universities and colleges.
France was the most popular destination for Irish students with 482 studying there, followed by Spain (271) and Germany (259). Most students studying in Ireland came from France (1,071), followed by Germany (861), Spain (545) and Italy (255).
The number of teachers from Irish universities and colleges studying abroad increased over the last two academic years, from 168 to 188.
Overall there was a 6 per cent increase in European students taking part in Erasmus exchanges in the last academic year, representing 144,037 students, up from 135,453 in 2003/2004.
Spain was the most popular destination, with 25,511 European students attending Spanish universities and colleges. France was next with 20,519, followed by Germany (17,273) and the UK (16,266).
The fall in Irish students taking part in Erasmus exchanges is related to a drop-off in students taking language courses and, to a lesser extent, the relatively small grant provided, according to Mary Kerr, deputy chief executive of the Higher Education Authority.
Two years ago, the commission proposed an increase in the monthly grant to students on Erasmus to €250 and set a target of three million students by 2013. However member states made cuts in education funding in December's EU budget and so this target will have to be reduced.
The European Parliament, the commission and member states are still in negotiations over the possibility of increasing the monthly grant. The current grant is an average of €150 a month, with students from some countries such as Spain and France receiving €95 a month. Irish students receive €145 a month.
The Erasmus programme involves all 25 EU states; three EU candidate countries, Bulgaria, Romania and Turkey; and Nor- way, Iceland and Liechtenstein.