Student Target for Magee Campus Under Review
Linda McGuinness, director of the Magee Expansion Division, informed the Economy Committee that it is unlikely the target of 10,000 registered students at Ulster University's (UU) Londonderry campus will be met by 2032.
The expansion of the Magee campus, a key driver for economic growth in the north west, has been overseen by a task force established in 2024. Currently, the campus has 6,500 students enrolled. The goal to increase this number was set out in the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) agreement, which restored Northern Ireland's power-sharing Executive in 2020.
Officials Address Job Cuts at Ulster University
In April, Ulster University announced plans to save approximately £25 million, which would involve up to 450 staff redundancies. The university aims to achieve this primarily through a voluntary redundancy scheme, but has specified potential job losses across its Belfast, Coleraine, Magee (Londonderry), and Jordanstown campuses.
Philip Brett, DUP chair of the Economy Committee, questioned the Department for the Economy (DfE) official about the department's stance on the proposed job cuts at UU.
"I think it's under review at the moment," McGuinness told the committee.
"It's under review and it's not something that we are in a position to give you, but what I would say to you is, is it likely to be 2032? My assessment on that is no.
"It's going to move to the right and for the right reasons."
Earlier, Ian Snowden, a senior DfE official, raised concerns about funding for the campus expansions in Derry and Coleraine. Snowden noted that expanding these campuses would require an additional £40 million annually, which could only be sourced through reallocation of executive funding or increased student fees.
The expansion of the university campus has long been regarded as a catalyst for economic growth in the north west.
Challenges in Infrastructure and Accommodation
During the meeting, McGuinness identified two primary challenges to the expansion: infrastructure and student accommodation.
"You could very quickly bring the city to an absolute halt with all of the development," she said.
She added that the campus is currently operating at maximum capacity and that only 656 student beds are available in the city.
"Whilst we have quite a lot in the planning system and there is significant interest from developers, the reality is that none of those projects has come to fruition.
"We cannot keep expanding the campus if we do not have enough accommodation for students.
"Hopefully, in the coming weeks and months, we will have a clearer idea of when the 10,000-student target can be achieved."
SDLP MLA Expresses Concern Over Review
Sinéad McLaughlin, SDLP MLA and Economy Committee member, described the review of the target as "deeply concerning." She emphasized that the Magee expansion has long been recognised as one of the most significant economic development projects for the north west.
McLaughlin highlighted that these developments come amid Ulster University's plans for up to 450 redundancies and broader financial pressures in the higher education sector.
"Taken together, these warnings should be a wake-up call for the Economy Minister and her department," she said.
She affirmed that the project remains achievable but stressed that it requires swift ministerial action to resolve the funding crisis in higher education and to establish a sustainable funding model for universities.
"The people of the north west have heard promises about Magee for decades," she added.
"They now need certainty, leadership and a credible plan to ensure this commitment is finally delivered."
