‘Game changer’ - Consultation on moving 500 student places to Derry, Coleraine or Belfast reopens

A UU report recommending Magee as the preferred option, which has been described as a game changer that could finally kickstart the expansion of the Derry campus, was published earlier this year but no final decision has been reached and Derry faces competition from Coleraine and Belfast.

The University today confirmed that its ‘Magee, Coleraine and Belfast campuses are under consideration for the future location of its School of Health Sciences’.

Earlier this year it emerged that Ulster University has settled on Magee as its preferred option for the relocation of 500 undergraduate course places, even before the Medical School was approved.

The then proposed Med School, the since match-funded City Deal and the presence of C-TRIC at Magee and Altnagelvin were influential in the selection of Derry as the preferred site.

According to an UU options’ appraisal, moving all of the School’s radiography, physiology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy, podiatry, radiotherapy and speech and language therapy places to Derry is the best way forward.

Back in 2015 the university announced its intention of relocating the School from the moribund Jordanstown campus to Coleraine. However, following an engagement exercise UU has now said its undergraduate provision should be moved to Derry while postgraduate provision should take place in Belfast.

Derry Alliance councillor Rachael Ferguson has previously said that said moving the School here would be a major boon to the city. “This amounts to about 500 student places. We’re talking about UU’s courses for radiographers, dieticians, occupational therapists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists and podiatrists.”

She said that the reopening of the consultation “will be the time for all of us to add our voices to get all these Allied Health Provision courses to come to Magee”.

“It’s important to be clear that these courses are additional to the medical school at Magee. I will certainly be telling UU that I agree with its own ‘preferred option’ and I hope the people of the NW will all do the same,” Colr. Ferguson said.

Back in February Derry City and Strabane District Council passed a resolution calling for the School to be located at UU Magee.

A spokesperson for Ulster University said today: “The relocation decision is a necessity arising from the decision to close Jordanstown. The public consultation invites responses to the need, objectives and the options detailed. The consultation launched in February was paused in April when the University reviewed its decision to conduct a full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA).

“The augmented consultation will re-open on 1st September, with the EQIA open for 12 weeks and the location consultation running concurrently, but for a period of 14 weeks, closing on December 6.”

Members of the public and organisations across Northern Ireland are now being asked for their views on the relocation.

In February 2020, Ulster University launched a public consultation on the future location of its School of Health Sciences. The consultation was paused in April when the University reviewed its decision to conduct a full Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA). The augmented consultation will re-open on September 1, with the EQIA open for 12 weeks until November 24 and the location consultation running concurrently, but remaining open for a further two weeks, closing on December 6.

Professor Carol Curran, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences at Ulster University said: “We take seriously the role that we play in providing the skilled health professionals so urgently required to meet the needs of the healthcare workforce and patients. Since we first began gathering the views of stakeholders, the landscape for our colleagues, partners and graduates in the health service has changed beyond all recognition.

“Now, more than ever, we are acutely aware of the contribution of our allied health professionals in the context of a health service that faces such enormous challenge in response to COVID-19. We sincerely value the perspectives of our many healthcare stakeholders, partners and colleagues and remain committed to gathering as much input as possible through the re-opened public consultation and EQIA process to enable a fully informed and final decision to be made.”

The University’s Coleraine, Magee and Belfast campuses are all potential options under consideration and this consultation is seeking the views of staff, current and prospective students, health service practitioners, education providers, local government representatives and the voluntary and charity sectors.

The University expects to reach and confirm a decision by the end of January 2021. Health Sciences will remain at Jordanstown for the 21/22 academic year to enable sufficient time for transition arrangements to the new location.

Previous submissions made between February and April will be retained as part of the re-opened process. Updated or new submissions can be made by email and online, and in line with public health guidelines, online engagement opportunities will be offered in the autumn.

Full details can be found at www.ulster.ac.uk/consultations