09/09/2011

NI Uni Fees Frozen

Following on from the universities call for a decision to be made on the issue of tuition fees, it has been announced that fees for Northern Ireland students attending universities here are to be frozen.

The decision means fees will remain at around £3,500 per year.

Higher education minister Stephen Farry said fees would rise only in line with inflation and that the budgets of universities would be protected.

NI First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Northern Ireland has some of the best educated graduates in Europe.

"Time and time again investors in Northern Ireland tell us that the primary reason they have chosen this location is the high quality of our university graduates.

"This decision today will ensure that this remains the case for the foreseeable future."

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness said that the decision would be widely welcomed by students and their families and the £40m needed to freeze fees would be found by top-slicing money from several other departments.

University chiefs had described Thursday as "D-Day" and said the decision would have a profound effect on the future of higher education in Northern Ireland.

See: Universities Call For Decision On Fees

(JG/CD)

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