Job Cuts Announced at Ulster University Magee Campus
Ulster University (UU) is planning to reduce its workforce by over 100 positions at the Magee campus in Londonderry, according to Sinéad McLaughlin, an SDLP MLA and the party's economy spokesperson.
McLaughlin presented these figures during a question time session in the Northern Ireland Assembly, highlighting the scale of the proposed redundancies across the university.
The university intends to make up to 450 staff redundant, citing a financial shortfall estimated at approximately £25 million as the primary reason for the cuts.
In the assembly chamber, McLaughlin detailed the distribution of redundancies across UU's campuses: 221 at the Belfast campus, 114 in Coleraine, 108 at Magee, and seven in Jordanstown.
She described the situation as "a major crisis in higher education," and questioned Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald on the measures being taken to "rescue" the sector.
Government Response and Financial Challenges
Minister Archibald acknowledged the difficult circumstances faced by university staff, stating:
"It would be a very worrying time for staff and my thoughts are with them and their families as they face that uncertainty."
She emphasized her commitment to securing a budget that supports a "sustainable further and higher education sector."
Archibald also highlighted the broader financial constraints affecting her department, noting:
"Like all other departments, the financial position facing my own department is extremely challenging.
And the executive has been very clear about that, we've repeatedly warned that our finances are unsustainable."
She attributed the university's proposed cuts to the "real-world consequence of the executive not being funded to its level of need."
Concerns Over Magee Campus Job Losses
McLaughlin expressed "genuine shock" at the scale of job losses, particularly the 108 positions at Magee.
She questioned the government's commitment to the campus's expansion in light of the workforce reductions, asking the minister:
"How can you stand over your executive and your commitment to expand Magee at the same time as collapsing the workforce?"
The Magee campus currently serves 6,500 students, with an objective to increase enrollment to 10,000 by 2032.
Minister Highlights Investment and Priorities
Minister Archibald responded by pointing to insufficient investment from the British government for further and higher education.
She reaffirmed that:
"Magee and the expansion of Magee is an executive priority."
Archibald further noted that her department had invested £35 million in the Magee campus, which contributed to a 22% increase in student numbers.
In 2024, a taskforce was established to develop and oversee an action plan aimed at expanding the Derry campus.
NI has reached out to Ulster University for comment on the proposed redundancies.
