Today an interim report has been published by a taskforce set up by Economy Minister Conor Murphy, to develop and oversee an action plan for expanding Ulster University’s campus in Derry~Londonderry.
The Taskforce brings together a range of stakeholders including the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, Derry City & Strabane District Council, business representatives, and the community sector.
The report published today has outlined that progress has been made on securing further commitment and defined timelines from key stakeholders ahead of the formulation of the Taskforce’s full action plan later this year.
In response to the report, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University, Professor Paul Bartholomew said:
“At Ulster University, we very much welcome this interim report by the Taskforce.
We have worked with the wider taskforce to pool our collective efforts into identifying a pathway to a University for 10,000 students. Prior to the formation of the Taskforce, the University expressed its intention to expand to 6,500 students, arriving at that ceiling due to constraints within the operating environment, so we thank the Taskforce for the time spent exploring the changes that would be necessary to expand to 10,000.
We also acknowledge the Minister’s recent commitment of funds that have already made a difference to the operating environment allowing us to revise our plans to expand to 7,000 students. Further changes in the operating environment will allow us to go further still. We will continue to work together – at pace - with the Taskforce, the Minister, the Department, and all of the stakeholders outlined within the Interim Report to successfully enact expansion of the campus, the curricula and the number of students.
There is much still to be done – the report brings to the fore a clear picture of the challenges to overcome and crucially, the way forward to unlock those challenges, but it is greatly encouraging to see support galvanised to maximise the potential of this campus and the economic, social, cultural, civic and research benefits that it will in turn deliver for the region.
We remain completely committed to growth at our campus in Derry~Londonderry, in line with our strategic commitment for better regional balance.”
The full interim report is published on the Department for the Economy’s website here: Magee Taskforce interim report | Department for the Economy (economy-ni.gov.uk)