Magee student target date 'under review', MLAs told

A target to reach 10,000 registered students at Ulster University's (UU) campus in Londonderry by 2032 is now "under review", a Stormont committee has been told.

The expansion of the campus, commonly known as Magee, has long been regarded as a catalyst for economic growth in the north west, with a task force established in 2024 to oversee the expansion.

It currently has 6,500 students. The target to increase that number was included in New Decade, New Approach (NDNA), which restored Northern Ireland's power-sharing Executive in 2020.

Linda McGuinness, director of the Magee Expansion Division, told the Economy committee it was unlikely the target would be reached by 2032.

In April, UU announced it needed to make savings of about £25m and would be making up to 450 staff redundant.

While the university said it hopes to achieve this through a voluntary scheme, it has outlined the number of jobs that could be at risk at each of its campuses in Belfast, Coleraine, Magee in Londonderry and Jordanstown.

DUP chair of the Economy Committee, Philip Brett, pressed the DfE official for the department's position in light of proposed job cuts at Ulster University.

"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."

Previously, Ian Snowden, a senior official at the DfE, raised questions about funding for the continued expansion of the campus in Derry.

Snowden said that growing the Magee campus and another UU campus in Coleraine would require an additional £40m a year.

He said the money could only come from the executive reallocating funding from elsewhere or by increasing student fees.

In the meeting, McGuinness also outlined that two main challenges facing the expansion were infrastructure and student accommodation.

"You could very quickly bring the city to an absolute halt with all of the development," she said.

She said the campus was operating at "its maximum levels" and that only 656 student beds were currently 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 Sinéad McLaughlin, who sits on the Economy Committee, said it was "deeply concerning" the target was now under review.

She said the expansion had long been recognised as "one of the most important economic development projects for the north west".

McLaughlin said the comments came at a time when Ulster University was proceeding with up to 450 redundancies and the higher education sector was facing significant financial pressures.

"Taken together, these warnings should be a wake-up call for the Economy Minister and her department," she said.

McLaughlin said the project remained deliverable but warned it would only happen if the minister moved quickly to address the funding crisis facing higher education and provide universities with a sustainable funding model.

"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."