Ireland’s educational system is one of the best in the whole world. This is according to IMD’s World Competitiveness Report of 2006. According to the report from IMD Ireland’s country score of 7.43 means that the educational system of the country meets the needs of a competitive economy. As a matter of fact Ireland score is among the highest, higher than even Belgium, Netherlands, USA, Germany, UK, and Spain whose scores are 6.76, 5.68, 5.65, 5.48, 5.03, 4.40, and 3.51 respectively. Furthermore the percentage of Irish population that has reached at least a tertiary level of education is also among the highest sharing with France a percentage of 37%. Following closely and not so closely behind are Denmark, UK, Switzerland, Netherlands, and Germany whose higher educational achievement percentages are 35%, 33%, 29%, 28%, and 22% respectively.

The body responsible for overseeing the quality of education in the tertiary level in Ireland is the Higher Education Authority (HEA). It serves as the statutory planning and development body for higher education and research in Ireland and also serves as the funding authority for Ireland’s universities and certain higher education institutions. There are a total of eight universities in the Republic of Ireland while there are two in Northern Ireland. The eight universities of Ireland include the University College Dublin (UCD), University College Cork (UCC), the National University of Ireland Galway (NUIG), the National University of Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), the University of Dublin (Trinity College), Dublin City University, University of Limerick and the St. Patricks College Maynooth (The Pontifical University). The two Universities in Northern Ireland include the Queens University and the University of Ulster. In addition to the universities Ireland has thirteen Institutes of Technology available and scattered throughout the country. Students who study in ITs can earn National Certificates, Diplomas and Degrees up to doctorate level depending on the courses they choose to take, just like in the university.

There are also Art Schools where available where one can enter sub-degree, primary degree and graduate programmes. The primary college of art in Ireland is the National College of Art and Design (NCAD). Other higher education institutes include eight Colleges of Education, The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Law Schools, Colleges of Theology and Divinity, Management Institutes, Music Schools, Public Administration Institutes, and Hotel Schools.