Consisting of a unique diversity of cultures Ireland and Dublin mix century old traditions with the contemporary modernity of a major international city. IBAT College reflects the best of Irish culture and we reserve a very warm welcome to all our international students. Many of our students are from Ireland, but we also attract students from all over the world.

In an increasingly global and competitive job market the diversity of nationalities at IBAT College will give you the outlook you need to succeed in the workplace and beyond.

Our world-class teaching facilities, student support services and lectures will provide you with an ideal platform to prosper both personally and professionally. By virtue of studying at IBAT College you will find that your cultural and personal boundaries will expand along with your academic development.

Ireland's Workforce

• Ireland’spublic expenditure on education (per capita) is ranked 8th in the world; just aheadof the UK (9th), France (11th) and the Netherlands (10th) Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• 45%of people between the age of 25 and 34 in Ireland have a 3rd level qualification placing Ireland 8th in the World for university education attainment.Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland ranks 4th globally for the availability of skilled labour Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland ranks 4th in the world for displaying culture that is open to new ideas. Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland’s labour productivity (GDP (PPP) per person employed per hour, US$) is the 6th highest in the world. Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland’s labour market flexibility is ranked 9th in the world. Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland’s human development index is the 5th highest in the world and Ireland is ranked 15th in the world for life expectancy at birth (life expectancy at birth in Ireland is 80 up from 78 in 2004. At 83, Japan has the highest life expectancy) Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010
• Ireland is regaining its cost competitiveness relative to our main competitor countries. In 2010 prices fell by 1.5%, unit labour costs fell by 5.5%, while labour productivity grew by 4%. Source: European Commission Report on Economic Adjustment Programme for Ireland (February 2011)

Business Regulation

• Ireland is ranked 8th for ease of doing business Source:The World Bank Ease of Doing Business Index 2009
• There are 4 start-up procedures required to register abusiness in Ireland; this is similar to the number in the US (3.5) and significantly less onerous than the EU average (6). It takes 13 days to start abusiness in Ireland. Source: The World Bank
• Ireland ranks 1st in the world for having a corporation tax that does not discourage entrepreneurial activity. Source: World Competitiveness Yearbook 2010

Innovation

• Ireland’s dynamic Research Development & Innovation sector is driven by an exceptional level of collaboration between industry,academia, government agencies and regulatory authorities.
• Gross expenditure on R&D in Ireland (government,academic and industry spend) was 1.4% of GDP in 2008; Ireland is committed to increasing R&D spend across the economy to 2.1% of GDP by 2013. Source:OECD: Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2010 pg 190
• 50% of all enterprises in Ireland are engaged in innovation activity placing Ireland 7th across the EU (EU average 39%) Source: Community Innovation Survey 2008
• Since the launch of the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation 2006 – 2013, Irish-Owned Business expenditure has increased by 33%. (€390m to €520m in nominal terms). (In other words) Irish-owned businesses spend over half a billion on R&D annually. Source: BERD 2007/2008 Survey
• 8% of companies in Ireland collaborate internationally on Innovation annually; similar to Denmark and above the numbers for the Netherlands, the UK and New Zealand. Source: OECD: Science, Technology and Innovation Outlook 2010 pg 190

Entrepreneurship

• Ireland is a highly entrepreneurial society and established entrepreneurs make up 8.6% of its adult population. Ireland has a higher proportion of established entrepreneurs than the majority of its Eurozone counterparts as well as the UK (6.4%), the US (7.7%), Australia (8.5%) and Israel (3.1%). Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2010 Report
• Ireland’s venture capital investment as a percentage of GDPwas ranked 7th in the OECD in 2008 (0.13%). (7th in the OECD compared to aposition where we had no VC market in the mid 1990s is a very positive outcome and reflects well on Enterprise Ireland’s intervention in this area.) Source: OECD, Entrepreneurship Financing Database, July 2010
• 65% of early stage businesses set up in Ireland have an international orientation (i.e. are exporting); this is above the rate in Germany, the UK and the majority of other advanced economies. Source: Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2010 Report
• The function of entrepreneurs is to search for, respond to and exploit change with new ideas, products and processes. Irish entrepreneurs are the most innovative in advanced economies; offering inventive and novel products and services to global consumers. Source: Global EntrepreneurshipMonitor 2010 Report

Note: This document was released by Enterprise Ireland butall statistics are from National (e.g. CSO) and International (e.g. Eurostat,WTO) sources.