Paul Bartholomew pledges ‘passionate commitment’ to growth of Magee College

Professor Bartholomew told a conference at Magee on Thursday that student numbers are projected to grow to ‘about a thousand more than there has ever been at any prior point in the history of this campus’.

He was speaking at the 'Time to Strengthen the Regional Impact of Greater North-West' conference organised by the John and Pat Hume Foundation and the Royal Irish Academy.

Welcoming speakers and guests Prof. Bartholomew directly addressed criticism of the pace of growth at Magee.

“It is particularly important for me to be here today to reiterate my passionate commitment for growth in this place and the continued growth of student numbers on this campus.

“Given the week we have had I think it is important that I do say, quite transparently, that I do have support for that growth plan here from the leaders of all the political parties, from the relevant government departments, from the government in the UK and indeed the government in the Republic of Ireland,” he said.

He said he has ‘really made it my mission to talk to everybody I can about that vision’.

“I would encourage people to speak to the leaders of political parties, speak to Invest NI, speak to British Government officials and Irish Government officials and say 'have they had conversation with me where I've pitched that vision or spoken to them about that?' You will get the answer that will come back, 'Yes, I've met with him and I've listened to that pitch before.’ I think it's really important that people know that,” he said.

Students numbers, he said, are projected to rise to their highest level ever.

“Projections of student numbers on this campus, going forward from this year, are going to be about a thousand more than there has ever been at any prior point in the history of this campus.”

Prof. Bartholomew praised the Irish Government for its contribution of €44.5m (£38m) from its Shared Island Fund for a new teaching and student services building at Magee.

“We are, of course, thankful for the well-publicised £38m contribution coming from the Irish government for capital buildings here. That funding comes from two years of work with senior people at the university working with the Irish Government to get that funding over the line,” he said, adding that it was part of a larger £150m sum that's ‘currently on the table of investment’ including £50m from UU’s own coffers.

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“All of that comes from the facts of all of those parties working together, and working together with collective commitment to grow student numbers in this place and I think that's what growth looks like, growth looks like a shared commitment to make a difference here.”

He promised to organise an open event to discuss the future of Magee before Christmas.

“If we are all, and I do mean all, going to move forward together on that agenda I think perhaps I could do more personally to make that happen.

"Yes, I've been lobbying and talking to politicians and government agencies for some time. But perhaps I need to do more to get that information out there, to talk to more people,” he said.

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