A “business case” for the expansion of the Derry campus of the University of Ulster is to be the priority of a new group set up in the city.
Magee College
An education and skills implementation group has been established and will commission the “business case” which will have a timeline of June next year.
The formation of the new group has been welcome by Derry Sinn Fein MLA Maeve McLaughlin.
Ms McLaughlin said: “I welcome the consensus reached by a diverse group of interested parties on the need for a business case economic appraisal on the expansion of University of Ulster, Magee.
“The establishment of this implementation group is the culmination of a focused piece of work drawing from a range of sectors in the city, involving a public petition, public debate and an Assembly debate among other engagements.
“This implementation group will commission the business case with a timeline of June 2014. This is an essential piece of work if we are to reach our target of 9,400 places by 2020.
“It is of course Important to recognise that all of the 620 additional MasN places from DEL have been allocated to Magee and that 63% of the additional 1000 places target by 2015 has now been met.
“However, Magee expansion has been identified in a number of expert reports as a key driver towards economic sustainability and we have long argued that the city needs to present a robust business case.”
Ms McLaughlin concluded: “I welcome the fact that this is now being undertaken – we are determined to realise the status of University City for Derry”
