MP Allister says Ulster University 'unable to alleviate concerns' over Coleraine campus and redundancies
The MP for North Antrim has said he is disappointed that Ulster University has been unable to ‘alleviate concerns’ over the future of its Coleraine campus and possible redundancies.
TUV MP Jim Allister said that a “reform of both the current model and long‑term arrangements is now essential to ensure stability and proper stewardship of higher education”.
"Coleraine campus’s academic portfolio now spans 99 programmes. It continues to expand, most notably with the recent and much‑needed addition of Veterinary Nursing - the first step by any university towards establishing a veterinary school presence in Northern Ireland,” said Mr Allister.
"Ulster University Coleraine serves students across Northern Ireland, with a particularly strong contribution to the rural sector. Its programmes deliver the skills, research capacity, and professional pathways needed in rural communities and related industries, allowing the campus to drive regional growth and strengthen Northern Ireland’s economy.
"Ulster University has highlighted that the real issue is not simply a lack of funding, but the consequences of a longstanding and poorly managed funding model for higher education in Northern Ireland,” he continued.
"This structural problem affects every institution and has created sustained financial pressures across the sector. Reform of both the current model and long‑term arrangements is now essential to ensure stability and proper stewardship of higher education.
"I propose it would certainly help if the Stormont Executive was first able to agree on and produce a budget as is their legislative duty to allow departments to operate on more than contingency budgets!"