NI Could Maximise Potential In Global Marketplace

Proactive engagement with other countries can help Northern Ireland maximise its potential in the global marketplace.

This was the key message from Employment and Learning Minister Angela Smith as she began a three day visit to the State of North Carolina this week. She was invited by Secretary of State Elaine F Marshall when colleagues from North Carolina visited Northern Ireland in November 2005.

During her fact finding visit the Minister will see at first hand how the State delivers education and employment programmes in an economic environment similar to Northern Ireland's.

Speaking at a reception hosted by the Northern Ireland Bureau, the Minister told representatives from North Carolina's business and education community that the links being forged between the two economies would help expose their populations to global issues: "Through the many joint educational programmes between Northern Ireland and the USA, we are improving our competitiveness and enhancing our skills bases. It is through this work and sharing knowledge as we are doing this week, that we can truly tackle the challenges of globalisation."

The Minister also used the reception to launch the Department for Employment and Learning's Strategic Approach to International Activity. The approach will maximise the contribution of tertiary education to overseas trade and inward investment, by encouraging international collaboration.

The Minister said: "We recognise the significance of the increased internationalisation of higher education, training and research. This new approach will help us ensure that we gain maximum benefit from an increasingly competitive international student and labour market. By developing international partnerships, we can increase our influence and reputation as a global player and attract more inward investment, visiting skilled workers and high calibre foreign students to our higher education institutions."

(CD)