A discussion of higher education in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland assesses policy and provision of education in the two jurisdictions and places them in their international context. The jurisdictions' demographics, trends in participation, and patterns of expenditure are examined first, in the context of both the United Kingdom and European higher education. The social characteristics of higher education participation and admissions policies are then discussed, and major policy developments and funding since the mid-1960s are explored. The funding and organization of research within higher education are compared for Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Efforts to promote equal educational opportunity are discussed, with attention to the impact on universities of policies concerning gender and religious equality. A chapter is devoted to the role of higher education during 25 years of conflict in Northern Ireland, and the potential for collaboration between North and South. Two final chapters address the policy formation process and some theoretical concepts. Appended materials include a chart of the structure of the Republic of Ireland's education system, a list of higher education institutions in both jurisdictions, and results of a research assessment in Northern Ireland's universities. Contents are indexed. (Contains approximately 150 references.) (MSE)