Ninth Level Ireland

“Ulster University has announced 40 new Belfast Community Scholarships, removing the financial barriers that prevent many students from accessing higher education. Supported by Ulster Garden Villages Limited and Lead Corporate Partners SHS Group and Aflac Northern Ireland over the next five years, just over 100 students from Belfast will benefit from funding …” (more)

[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 7 May]

“The arrival of thousands of students to live in Belfast city centre when the new Ulster University campus opens will provide a major catalyst for growth, a council boss has said. The Cathedral Quarter building is to open next year, four years behind schedule, with courses shifting from the Jordanstown campus …” (more)

[Margaret Canning, Belfast Telegraph, 5 May]

“The Department for the Economy has defended a £50 administration cost which will be paid to universities for processing Covid disruption payments to students. It said it had allocated £9.56m to Ulster University and £9.8m to Queen’s University, including administration costs, out of the £22m fund pledged for student disruption grants …” (more)

[Margaret Canning, Belfast Telegraph, 24 April]

“Sinn Féin MLAs Martina Anderson and John O’Dowd today met with the Vice Chancellor of University of Ulster to press for the expansion of Magee University and the delivery on the New Decade New Approach commitments to grow the campus to 10,000 students. Martina Anderson MLA said …” (more)

[Sinn Féin, 22 April]

“The Department for the Economy said it remains committed to overseeing the opening of a new multi million pound city centre complex for Ulster University on time despite reports of further delays to the build. The cost of the Cathedral Quarter build, which has been due to open for students in 2018 but has already been delayed until next year, has rocketed by 43% over the original plan, now said to be coming in at around £363.9m …” (more)

[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 16 April]

“Hundreds of young people are making up for the disappointment of a quieter St Patrick’s Day by partying harder than ever in the Holyland, residents said. It follows reports of ‘busloads being shipped in to view properties in the area’ – even though term has finished and there is no need for students to be there …” (more)

[Claire McNeilly, Belfast Telegraph, 30 March]

“SDLP university spokesperson Sinead McLaughlin has criticised economy minister Diane Dodds for failing to indicate support for the expansion of the Magee campus. Minister Dodds was responding to an Assembly question from McLaughlin, asking the minister to confirm her support for the commitment to Magee campus expanding to 10,000 students in the New Decade, New Approach agreement …” (more)

[Derry Now, 25 March]

“All school pupils should be taught about how to protect their mental health, according to Ulster University Students’ Union (UUSU). The union said a preventative approach would help pupils be more independent …” (more)

[Robbie Meredith, BBC News, 20 March]

“Young people have been made scapegoats for the pandemic, a students’ union has said. Ulster University Students’ Union president Collette Cassidy made the claim after St Patrick’s Day passed off without major incident …” (more)

[Gareth Cross, Belfast Telegraph, 18 March]

“There was a heavy police presence on Wednesday evening in Belfast’s Holyland, following the closure of Botanic Gardens after large crowds had gathered in the park during the afternoon. A visible PSNI operation around the area has seen the Holyland experience a quiet end to St Patrick’s Day …” (more)

[Christopher Leebody, Belfast Telegraph, 17 March]

“Residents in Belfast’s Holyland area have voiced their anger after it emerged that the city council requested powers from Stormont to deal with issues in the area six months ago – but was blocked …” (more)

[Andrew Madden, Belfast Telegraph, 16 March]

“The PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne has warned anyone planning to travel to the Holyland area of Belfast for St Patrick’s Day that police will deal robustly with Covid-19 breaches and anti-social behaviour. Mr Byrne is also backing a call by the area’s MP for a task force to oversee change in the main student area of Belfast – not just on St Patrick’s Day but all year round …” (more)

[Lauren Harte, Belfast Telegraph, 15 March]

“A task force is needed to oversee change in the main student area of Belfast – not just on St Patrick’s Day but all year round, the area’s MP has said. The Holylands area has become synonymous with anti-social behaviour on March 17, with large crowds, including those from outside the area, gathering to party …” (more)

[Mairead Holland, Belfast Telegraph, 15 March]

“Residents of the Holyland have rounded on the First and deputy First Ministers for their ‘wholly inadequate’ response to concerns about house parties in the run-up to St Patrick’s Day. The south Belfast student area is notorious for revelry at this time of the year …” (more)

[Claire McNeilly, Belfast Telegraph, 10 March]

“Fears are growing that St Patrick’s Day celebrations will rage through Belfast’s student area after ‘alarming’ reports of multiple house parties on Monday night. Residents in the Holyland area said young people have been gathering ‘from far and wide’ for drunken festivities, and blatantly disregarding current lockdown restrictions …” (more)

[Claire McNeilly, Belfast Telegraph, 23 February]

“Almost 40,000 students at university or in full time education in Northern Ireland will receive a one off £500 payment to mitigate against the disruption caused by Covid-19. The scheme will cost £22 million and students have been told they can expect payment before the end of March …” (more)

[Mark Bain, Belfast Telegraph, 4 February]

“The Vice Chancellor at Ulster University (UU) has told Derry councillors that under the current funding model it will not be possible to deliver the long-promised target of 10,000 students at the Magee campus. This week UU confirmed that the School of Health Sciences undergraduate programmes will relocate to its Magee campus in Derry from September 2022 …” (more)

[Garrett Hargan, Derry Now, 3 February]

“Mayor of Derry and Strabane has questioned whether NI’s Economy Minister is committed to the expansion of Ulster University’s Magee campus. The university announced on Tuesday it was relocating undergraduate healthcare degrees to the campus in Londonderry …” (more)

[BBC News, 3 February]

“It’s been a debate rumbling on since the 1960s and has been subject to many slugger posts over the years. Including the lack of strategic thinking over the long-term viability for our health service. The post graduate entry medical school at Magee is set to take students in September this year (according to UU’s website at time of posting) but it has been blighted by delays and began as a project in the early noughties …” (more)

[Jay Burbank, Slugger O’Toole, 2 February]

“Ulster University has confirmed that the School of Health Sciences undergraduate programmes will relocate to its Magee campus in Derry from September 2022. The relocation will bring over 800 undergraduate students to the Magee campus …” (more)

[Derry Now, 2 February]