Stephen Kelly believes 10,000 target achievable by 2032 in ‘single biggest transformative project’ for Derry

Mr. Kelly was speaking as he launched the interim report of the Magee Taskforce that was set up in March by the Economy Minister Conor Murphy to bring forward an action plan to expand Ulster University’s Magee campus in Derry to 10,000 students.

"Obviously that's subject to Stormont turning up with the necessary funding, not just for capital projects but for additional student numbers,” said Mr. Kelly, who was appointed Chair of the Taskforce earlier this year.

The 72 page report sets out a series of asks of various statutory bodies, stakeholders and Ulster University.

“We've published that today. What it does is shows that the growth of this campus has already begun and the means by which to make that sticky so we finally meet that expectation, that demand, and that agreement in the New Decade New Approach (NDNA) agreement around achieving at least 10,000 students at this campus as soon as possible,” Mr. Kelly told the ‘Journal’.

The report estimates that the expansion of Magee to accommodate 10,000 students will require an investment of approximately £700m.

Mr. Kelly has said a significant proportion of that is already secured or committed.

“There is an indicative price of in and around £685m. Of that, about 40 per cent of it is in student accommodation which will inevitably come from the private sector.

"The other money, about £406m, is the capital requirement for teaching, research and space for academics at the campus. The good news is that a lot of that money has already been committed or is in the process of being secured through the business cases.

"So the gap here isn't as big as the £700m number. We are not starting from zero and trying to get to £700m.

"Lots of the money is already there. Lots of players have an opportunity to fund this growth and we certainly think it's achievable and as a Derry man it's less than the price of a bus station in Belfast,” he quipped.

The report recommends lifting the Maximum Student Number (MaSN) cap which restricts the total number of full-time undergraduate students from the island at institutions in the North.

The MaSN cap is imposed by the Executive to stop overspending on student and teaching costs.

Mr. Kelly said the 10,000 figure can be reached either by lifting the restriction or moving students to Derry from elsewhere.

"In terms of funding student numbers themselves, there are essentially two options. The first one is that there is an increasing number of school leaving age young people coming through so the demand for university places will be increasing over the next number of years that are ahead.

"Those people have an expectation that they want to go to university and I think it is incumbent on the Department to provide them with that opportunity and to fund those places, specifically here at Magee.

“If they don't choose to do that it is about moving and shifting more students out of Belfast in particular back into here and the Magee campus.

"Both of those options get us to the 10,000 number. The university has already, over the last couple of years, started shifting programmes and students to the campus.

Magee expansion, A5 and rail link mentioned in ‘Our Plan’ draft Programme for Government

"That will continue, no doubt about that. But there is a choice there to be made by the minister and the department. Do they want to fund more students or is this about simply shifting students out of Belfast?”

For Mr. Kelly, as a proud Derry man, the piece of work he has undertaken is not an academic exercise. He is determined to help realise the goal of delivering 10,000 students at his alma mater.

“I was educated at this campus. My sister graduated in accountancy from this campus. My brother just graduated recently in social work from this campus. My son is studying on this campus.

"I'm born and bred and continue to live here and haven't chosen to live anywhere else. This is the single biggest transformative economic project, not just for this city but for the entire North West.

"We would not have done this job unless we were going to be clear that we wanted to ensure it was delivered. The partners we have engaged with are all very positive about coming and supporting it.

"It's in the draft Programme for Government. It's in the ministerial three-year-plan. It's in the minister's business plan for this current year.

"Funding has already begun to be provided. There is a pathway through now to that 10,000 number as quick as we can,” he said.

Following the publication of the interim report the Taskforce will work towards the completion of a final report by December 2024.

This will include an action plan for the delivery of 10,000 students.

It will then monitor progress and report publicly accordingly during the remainder of its mandate to March 2027.

The report acknowledges significant challenges on the road to delivering 10,000 students.

These include the requirement for sustainable recurrent funding, considerable capital funding for teaching accommodation, a significant increase in student living accommodation, enhanced transport links, and a range of city infrastructural preparations, including the provision of adequate social services locally.

The Ulster University Magee Taskforce was launched by Minister Murphy on March 22, 2024.

Magee 10,000 student taskforce to deliver report this year, says new chair Stephen Kelly