Debate contribution: Further and Higher Education: Budget Pressures
Debate contribution by Dr Caoimhe Archibald on .
- MLA
- Dr Caoimhe Archibald
- Party at the time
- Sinn Féin
- Date
- 5 October 2026
- Type
- Debate contribution
- Business
- Oral Answers to Questions
- Heading
- Further and Higher Education: Budget Pressures
- Assembly identifier
- Official Report component 5774309
Read the official Assembly record
Text
I thank the Member for his question. The Brain Gain research has provided us with an important evidence base for how we can sustain our universities into the future. It challenges what has been the mainstream narrative for quite some time, which is that there has been a brain drain, by showing that the number of students leaving here is fairly in line with numbers elsewhere and is significantly lower than the number in some regions of Britain. It is therefore important that we understand and consider the evidence base that we have and that we work with others on how we can attract more students to come and study here. I am keen to work with our universities, employers and agencies such as Tourism NI to see how we can present the North as an attractive place in which to study, build a career and live. The research also highlights how we have work to do to strengthen our jobs market. We particularly need to strengthen links between higher education and the labour market so that the skills coming out of our institutions align with the needs of the economy. There is therefore broader work to be done, but a significant opportunity exists for us here.
207 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.
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