Debate contribution: Ulster University: Job Losses
Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on .
- MLA
- Dr Caoimhe Archibald
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 14 September 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution (made as a minister)
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Ulster University: Job Losses
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5685509
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for her question. The first stage of the higher education funding review was an independent financial needs assessment of the different higher education institutions. That was completed, and a summary report was published earlier in the year. Officials are engaging with the sector on the next steps for the wider review, and I expect proposals to be brought to me very shortly. In the meantime, I have taken some steps to try to support the sector where possible. I know that the Member will appreciate the challenges in trying to achieve that in the current budgetary context. We have allocated some additional funding to St Mary's University College and Stranmillis University College in recognition of the challenges facing them as small institutions. The Department also commissioned specific work on Ulster University's multi-campus model, and that has been completed. Despite the budgetary challenges that we face, we have sought to prioritise funding for skills and specifically for our further and higher education institutions. Over the past couple of years, we have been successful in advocating for additional in-year funding. That is not a replacement for having a sustainable baseline for our further and higher education institutions, which is what I, personally, am working to achieve in the context of the current Budget negotiations. Work is ongoing with our higher education institutions on how we take forward the higher education funding review. It is important work, and we need to ensure that we have the budgetary capacity behind it.
251 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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