Campus remains despite college closure plans

NRC is due to open a new 10m campus in Newtownabbey this summer while Felden campus, in Bawnmore, will close in September as already planned.

A business improvement plan, submitted to the Department for Employment and Learning, maps out the college’s proposed developments until 2016. The proposals include the closure of the non-operational Portrush campus. The first phase of the plan would see ‘rationalisation’ in the closure of the Antrim and Larne campuses by June 2011.

NRC Director Trevor Neilands says the proposed five-year plan seeks to secure and stabilise the college in the coming years.

“We have witnessed the decline of campuses right across the sector over the past few years and we now face the opportunity to focus on building a secure future for NRC,” says Mr Neilands.

“In order to communicate our proposals we are embarking on a consultation exercise to give all our students, parents, business partners, suppliers and schools the opportunity to have their say in how we shape the future NRC.”

“We have a huge legacy of excellence and our future will focus primarily on continuing and ever-improving the quality of education of our students and the maintenance and development of our close relationships with employers,” he added.