AQW 53187/11-16


Ms Claire Sugden
Independent
East Londonderry


Tabled Date: 20/01/2016
Answered On Date: 01/02/2016
Priority Written: No


Question:
To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning how he is encouraging the development of links between Ulster University in Coleraine and further education colleges in Coleraine and Limavady.


Answer:
I believe that Further Education Colleges make a distinctive contribution to the overall provision of higher education in Northern Ireland. They have a particular strength in the provision of intermediate-level qualifications to meet the higher skills needs of local employers and regional communities.
My policy is to encourage the provision of Foundation Degrees offered in collaboration between the local universities and the regional colleges. Foundation degrees are professional and technical qualifications and have a major role to play in meeting the higher level priority skills needs of Northern Ireland. They equip learners with the combination of technical capabilities, academic knowledge and transferable skills at the associate professional and higher technician levels that employers are increasingly demanding.
Ulster University (UU) has taken a leading role in the validation of Foundation Degrees and has worked in collaboration with both the Northern Regional College and the North West Regional College in developing a range of Foundation Degree qualifications, including courses in Electrical / Electronic Engineering, Software Development, Sustainable Construction and Applied Medical Sciences.
In 2013, and again in 2014, I made increased funding available to provide an additional 75 full time higher education places at North West Regional College, and another 66 at Northern Regional College, in Foundation Degrees in STEM subjects. It is a matter for the senior management of each college to determine the location of specific courses across their campuses to best meet local demand.
I can confirm that a foundation degree course validated by UU in Building Technology and Management is currently being delivered in Coleraine campus. Students on the Northern Regional College Foundation degree in Sport Exercise and Fitness use UU Coleraine sports facilities on a regular basis. I can also confirm that a Level 4 Certificate in Counselling Studies and a Foundation Degree in Counselling validated by UU are currently being delivered at the Limavady campus of North West Regional College.
UU also collaborates with the colleges in the development of Access Diploma courses. These are key qualifications for widening participation in higher education, particularly for adult learners. Currently an Access Diploma in Social Sciences is being delivered at the Coleraine campus, and an Access Diploma in Combined Studies (Humanities) is being delivered at the Limavady campus. In addition, a small number of Level 3 Health Science students from the Limavady campus progress to degree provision at UU Coleraine in Nutrition. Northern Regional College has a sizable number of Level 3 students who progress to degree provision at UU Coleraine.
Developing links include initial discussions between Northern Regional College Performing Arts Department at its Coleraine campus and UU Coleraine, concerning the potential to develop a Foundation Degree in Performing Arts.  Northern Regional College is planning to undertake academic visits to UU to examine course delivery, modules, industrial links, etc with a view to developing a Foundation Degree to begin in September 2017. Northern Regional College, Coleraine Level 3 courses in Music, Performing Arts and Production Arts already have strong links with the Riverside Theatre, UU Coleraine.
Finally, UU is also supportive of Northern Regional College establishing a Foundation Degree in Computing at Coleraine campus in September 2016 and a Foundation Degree in Business with IT commencing in September 2017.