In July 2012, the executive doctoral class of 2013 from the University of Pennsylvania's Higher Education Management Program in the Graduate School of Education conducted a study of higher education in Ireland. The international study, an important component of the executive doctoral program, mirrored and built on research completed by Joni Finney and Laura Perna (who are faculty in the program) on the relationship between public policy and performance in five US states: Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Texas, and Washington. The executive doctoral students' in-depth case study on Irish higher education included an 11-day fact-finding mission and concluded with an international roundtable. They compared Ireland to the five US states in four performance areas--preparation for and participation in postsecondary education, completion of certificates and degrees, affordability for students and families, and research--as well as the public policies to support them. Here, Jon Marcus summarizes the findings from the students' research and the roundtable discussion. (Contains 1 table.)