2 May 2001

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS TRANSFORMED BY GLOBALISATION - FARREN

"Globalisation has transformed the economic and social conditions in which we live, with higher education at the centre of these developments," Minister of Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment, Dr Sean Farren said today.

The Minister was speaking at St Mary's University College, where he welcomed to Belfast, a trade mission from the Massachusetts Port Authority, which was hosting the event as a direct result of educational links they have established with the United States.

Dr Farren added: "World class higher education ensures that countries can grow and sustain high-skill businesses, and attract the most highly-skilled people. It endows people with creative and moral capacities, thinking skills and knowledge that underpin our economic competitiveness and our wider quality of life."

Commending St Mary’s on their efforts and enterprise in developing links with the USA, the Minister said: "This College has for many years taken part in exchange schemes within Europe. It is only right to continue to look further afield.

"The links forged with colleges in Massachusetts are exactly the type of partnership envisaged by the Memorandum of Understanding, which I signed jointly last December with the then US Secretary of Education, Richard Riley and Minister of Education, Martin McGuinness.

"The proposal offers an excellent opportunity to develop an alliance which should bring benefits, not only to the students involved but to the wider community as a whole.

"I know this is of particular importance to Father O’Callaghan, the College Principal. On my last visit here, he reinforced the importance of working in partnership with the local community to consolidate the peace process and build economic and social regeneration, particularly in the West and North Belfast areas."

Media enquiries to Kevin Mulhern, Press Office, telephone 028 9025 7790 or mobile 07799 711523.

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The trade mission is visiting both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland (28 April – 4 May). The delegation is being led by Elizabeth Ames, Director of Economic Development, Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Trade International (TINI), the export and trade arm of the Industrial Development Board, has been developing trade linkages with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport).

Massport is an independent public authority which develops, promotes and manages airports, the seaport and transportation infrastructure to enable Massachusetts and New England compete successfully in the global marketplace. It also has the role of developing trade for companies in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.