Justin Quinn, Founder of Select Ireland, Answers ASEPROCE’s Questions
Select Ireland is a group of well-established and vastly experienced independent English language schools located in Ireland. Justin Quinn, the founder of this association of companies, shares his insights on the industry, drawing from a lifetime dedicated to education since he and his siblings attended the Dublin city center school founded by his parents.
When was Select founded, and what led to its creation?
Select was created as an Irish version of Ten Schools in the UK. We came together to share best practices, CPD training, and to organize a FAM Trip that focused on the agent experience, giving them time to explore Ireland.
COVID brought all of us much closer together as we worked as one voice. We were stronger together, which helped us recover after the pandemic.
What are the requirements for membership? Is it a closed group?
SELECT schools are all accredited by ACELS and are members of EEI; most are also IALC or Quality English schools. We focus on quality and sector development.
It is not a closed group, but we feel that we are just at the start of a journey and want to maintain the unique value and culture we have developed.
How do you think the existence of Select benefits agencies?
SELECT offers the top locations in Ireland, and our schools are among the most recognized in the country.
On a SELECT FAM Trip or Roadshow, agents get to visit the best schools in the best locations. They have the opportunity to meet the directors and teams in each school and spend quality time with them in Dublin, Cork, and Galway.
The next FAM Trip will take place after Alphe London.
What is your impression of the evolution of the Spanish market in recent years?
The Spanish adult market has slowed down, as the quality of teaching in the Spanish school system has improved significantly over the last 10 years.
The duration of summer programs has shortened over the years, and now we see the emergence of winter mini-stay programs. We must adapt to the needs of the market.
Spain will always be a key market for Ireland. However, we receive very few direct bookings from Spain. A concern for all of us is the rise of pop-up summer operations with no accreditations, which could negatively impact the industry.
The direct sale of programs by schools to the final customer is always a concern for agencies. How do you approach this issue?
The B2C channel represents only a small portion of the business. Parents prefer to use a local agent they can speak with when purchasing an expensive program.
I see school websites as mere showcases of what we offer, while agents are the ones truly selling and dealing with customers.
Large global mega-chain schools have huge teams in back offices across the globe selling directly. They cold-call students and pressure them to enroll. This is a concern for all of us.
Since the pandemic, housing has been a challenge in many cases and has changed the structure of courses. Do you think host families are disappearing?
Not at all! Our host family numbers are almost back to pre-pandemic levels.
A crucial part of the process in Ireland is that every host family is screened by schools and vetted by the police. The safety of the student is paramount.
I believe the host family immersion program still has huge potential. Irish families are especially welcoming and enjoy hosting Spanish students.
In Spain, there is the impression that there are many Spanish-speaking students in Ireland, making it difficult to immerse in English and interact with locals. How can we refute this claim?
This may have been true 15 years ago, but today, Spanish students make up less than 10% of the Irish market!
I think Spanish students will always immerse themselves in local culture.
Ireland is now a multicultural society with people from all over the world. Spain will always hold a special place in the hearts and minds of the Irish. We have many things in common and a rich shared history.
How do you think artificial intelligence will affect our industry?
I am mentoring several AI startup companies and am fascinated by what they can do.
Technology will assist both students and teachers, but it will never replace face-to-face learning.
Students who come to Ireland don’t just learn English—they also experience Ireland’s culture, history, and people.
Global geopolitics is creating a lot of uncertainty. Do you think it will affect student mobility?
The UK government is working on a major youth mobility program, and I expect that within the next 18 months, Spanish students under 30 will be allowed to work in the UK again.
The EU recognizes the benefits of youth and student mobility.
I believe that geopolitically stable countries like Ireland, Canada, and the UK will continue to be the safest and most desirable destinations for students.
Do you think Ireland can reinforce its image as a safe destination that respects human and democratic values, or is this no longer a priority?
Absolutely.
I have been involved in international education for over 35 years, and during that time, both Ireland and Spain have changed significantly.
We have opened our borders and our minds to other cultures and values, making us stronger nations.
Ireland has one of the lowest crime rates in the EU.
The Irish government has invested heavily in education, and we now have the highest percentage of university students among global nations.
Our GDP is one of the highest in the world.
Spanish youth see Ireland as an open and welcoming country, and they want to be part of its journey.
