Source · Select Committees · Northern Ireland Affairs Committee
Recommendation 9
9
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 55
The university cap leads many Northern Ireland students to leave to obtain high- level qualifications,...
Recommendation
The university cap leads many Northern Ireland students to leave to obtain high- level qualifications, which they then take into employment elsewhere in the UK or overseas. This places a handbrake on the Northern Ireland economy, with international and other firms either less willing to invest in the first place or unable to fill job vacancies and increase their existing investments. We recognise that the cap is an Executive responsibility. However, we urge the Government to explore with the Executive, including through the NI Department for Economy’s review of higher education funding, how the cap on university numbers might be raised to enable the retention of home-grown talent in Northern Ireland and an expansion of the high- skilled sectors of its economy.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges the importance of addressing the cap on university numbers but redirects responsibility to the Northern Ireland Executive. They highlight existing investments in the Skill Up programme and ongoing discussions.
Paragraph Reference:
55
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The report rightly notes that the cap on university numbers is a Northern Ireland Executive responsibility and it will be for Northern Ireland Executive Departments to determine if and how any increase in student numbers could be delivered and funded. However, the UK Government recognises the importance of this issue and the need to ensure that Northern Ireland has the skilled young people and talent it needs to succeed now and in the future. That is why we have invested £15 million in the successful Skill Up programme, as detailed in the response on New Deal for Northern Ireland, to support skills provision in Northern Ireland in key growth areas for the economy like cyber and advanced manufacturing. Discussions are ongoing with Northern Ireland and UK Government Departments around further support for skills and young people in Northern Ireland.