IN PICTURES: 'Town meets gown' as Economy Minister officially opens new NRC Causeway Campus in Coleraine

The event was also attended by the US Special Envoy to Northern Ireland Joe Kennedy III.

The new 12,600m2 Causeway Campus will be home to over 150 staff and 1300 students each year, with its purpose-built site offering more than 50 new education and training spaces including laboratories, hair and beauty salons, an animal management area, and a fully equipped television studio and control room.

The new campus also features the meticulously restored Victorian B2 listed St Patrick’s Centre which has become a state-of-the-art performing arts centre with a double-height ceiling, music rooms, workshops, a recording studio and dressing rooms.

A new training restaurant will open to the public later in the autumn. Fully funded by the Department for the Economy, the new campus was constructed by Heron Bros Ltd and now consolidates all teaching at the College’s former Coleraine and Ballymoney campuses.

Here’s just some of those who were pictured at the opening..