Ulster University Expansion Options Discussed At Planning Meeting

A variety of options for the expansion of Ulster University's Magee campus have been outlined at a recent committee meeting.

Members of Derry City and Strabane District Council's Governance and Strategic Planning Committee sat in on a detailed presentation exploring all options for the site.

These options were formed after the Council's Senior Economist engaged with lobby groups, economists, business leaders and demographers and that the scoping and options analysis took into consideration existing data and information sources, which are relevant to university expansion in the City.


The presentation outlined the importance of university enrolment on population in Northern Ireland, while the impact of the Maximum Student Numbers (MaSN) restriction on expansion was also considered. Other items discussed included how research and scoping will reinforce the primacy of the MaSN cap, capital funding and ministerial decision-making as key enablers for expansion in the City.

It was agreed by members that commitment would be secured from Ulster University about their future plans for investment and expansion in the city.

The meeting concluded with formal proposals to invite the interim acting vice chancellor and other senior management representatives from the University to an early special meeting of Council.

(CM/JG)