More Choose NI Study As Fees Rise Feared

As a hike in university fees loomed for the UK - following yesterday's contentious vote at Westminster - an increase in Northern Ireland-based student numbers has been highlighted.

The Stormont Employment and Learning Minister Danny Kennedy has welcomed the new research showing that more students are choosing to study at home in Northern Ireland.

The research, commissioned by the Department for Employment and Learning, focused on the differences between those Northern Ireland applicants who were accepted to universities in Great Britain with those who were accepted to Northern Ireland universities, such as Queen's, Belfast (pictured).

In addition, it compared those accepted into a HE place against those who were not accepted.

Commenting on the findings of the report, the Minister said: "The fact that more of our own students are choosing to study in Northern Ireland demonstrates that our universities are providing the 'university experience' they seek.

"This is indeed very positive and shows that our universities are competing favourably with universities in Great Britain," he said, noting that the report also indicated that the majority of applicants accepted for a Higher Education place through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) obtained their revealed preferred choice of region.

Meanwhile, the Alliance party's Deputy Leader, MP Naomi Long has added her voice to the many in expressing disappointment at the result of Thursday's vote on the Westminster Government's tuition fees proposals.

Noting that she had opposed the move - and even spoke against in Westminster - the East Belfast MP said: "I believe that this is a regressive move for students and universities.

"These plans will potentially commercialise higher education and discourage many talented students from low income backgrounds from fulfilling their ambitions and their potential.

"I do not want a higher education system where choices of whether to study and what to study are influenced more by money than merit.

"I want us to build on the excellence of our local universities and their successes in widening participation," she said.

Highlighting the need for difficult decisions at Stormont as a result of the vote, the MP said: "This has profound consequences for the Northern Ireland Assembly.

"There will be some very difficult decisions to be made as the consequences of reduced Government funding affects the block grant from Westminster.

"The Minister for Employment and Learning will need to look very carefully at how the worst affects of this can be mitigated for local students and universities whilst ensuring that our universities remain well funded and internationally competitive," she said.

"In the short term, there will be an immediate funding gap as, due to the Assembly elections next year, it is almost impossible for new arrangements to be put in place in Northern Ireland on the same timescale as is being proposed in England and Wales, leaving a significant hole in the budget for at least one year."

The SDLP leader and South Down MP Margaret Ritchie has also been commenting and said the tuition fee hike proposed will unduly affect those from less privileged backgrounds and create the situation where universities may not accept students from poorer families.

She was speaking at the Westminster vote on tuition fees on Thursday: "The proposed measures will result in students from less privileged backgrounds ending up paying more for their education than those from better off backgrounds who are able to pay of their debts much more quickly.

"Many of the students protesting in Belfast and in London are from South Down and I support them fully. These proposals will not only have a detrimental affect on their education, but also the wider Northern Ireland economy," she said.

"These measures will introduce perverse incentives for universities not to accept students from disadvantaged areas. It also sets a dangerous precedent for universities elsewhere in competition with English universities.

"Investment in our future economies and our future graduates is the best way of ensuring growth, now more than ever."

(BMcC/GK)