UCLy launches its European Semester with Ireland

Ireland, a country transformed

“Ireland has changed a great deal over the past 30 years.” Eoin Campbell, an Irish lawyer and lecturer at ESTRI and UCLy’s Faculty of Law, knows this better than most. As President of the Franco-Irish Association of Lyon, he has watched with both curiosity and pride as his home country has undergone a remarkable transformation, becoming, in just a few decades, a prosperous, vibrant and cosmopolitan nation. “The world I grew up in has been transformed,” he explains. “When I was a child and people talked about migration, it was still about people leaving the country. Today, people are coming to Ireland to find good jobs, better salaries and a better life…”

Thanks to early investment in the tech sector, the Emerald Isle has become one of Europe’s leading hubs for innovation and research, both in business and academia. “I get the impression that people in France haven’t really caught up with how much Ireland has changed,” says Eoin Campbell. “Many still see Ireland as a rural country lagging behind, or as if there were nothing more to it than Dublin and the lakes of Connemara, immortalised in France by Michel Sardou’s famous song!”

France and Ireland, united by sport!

Did you know? France are world champions in… Gaelic football! The French women’s team claimed the title in Waterford, Ireland, in July 2026. One more sport to add to the list of friendly rivalries between the two countries, which also face each other every year in rugby’s Six Nations Championship.

Pourquoi faire ses études en Irlande ?

In many professional fields, international experience in an English-speaking environment has become a major asset on any CV. Yet despite attracting growing interest, Ireland is still not among the first destinations that come to mind for French students looking to study in an English-speaking country. According to Eoin Campbell, they may be overlooking an excellent option, as there are plenty of good reasons to choose Ireland! “The first advantage is obviously the English language,” he points out. But Ireland also has some distinctive advantages of its own: “Compared with the United Kingdom and the United States, Ireland offers all the benefits of the Erasmus+ programme and European Union membership.”

Maynooth University, a close partner

To facilitate international mobility for its students, both before and during their time abroad, UCLy has established partnerships with numerous universities around the world. Maynooth University – National University of Ireland, Maynooth – is one of UCLy’s key partners, with which it has developed enhanced cooperation agreements.

Our two universities are similar in size, with around 12,000 students each. In addition to its beautiful campus in Maynooth, the university also has a campus in Kilkenny.

Above all, despite being less internationally renowned than some of the leading British and American universities, Irish universities are now at the forefront in a number of fields. “Ireland has really focused on the tech sector,” explains Eoin Campbell. “There is a very wide range of degree programmes in this field, not only for engineers themselves, but also for all the professions connected to the sector, such as law, for example…”

And then, of course, there is… the Irish way of life. “What I miss most when I’m in France is the Irish pub!” admits Eoin Campbell with a laugh. And it is not just about enjoying a perfectly poured pint of Guinness, but also about meeting people. “There’s a whole culture around the Irish pub! You don’t go there just to spend the entire evening with your friends without ever mixing with anyone else, as you might in a French café. The unwritten rule is that when you go up to the bar to order a drink, you talk to other people. That sociability, the ease with which people connect with others and the warm welcome are all part of Irish culture too.”