Ulster University Magee Taskforce presents action plan for Derry campus expansion

The Magee Taskforce has delivered its report and action plan for the expansion of Ulster University’s Magee campus to 10,000 students. 

The report was presented to the Minister today at an event which included many of the stakeholders who have helped shape it. 

The Magee Taskforce was established by the Economy Minister Conor Murphy in March to develop a plan which would deliver on the New Decade New Approach agreement reached between the British and Irish Governments and local parties in 2020. 

The report includes:

• a summary analysis of the economic impact of developing the campus to 10,000 students;
• a plan for how this can happen as well as specific plans for new teaching facilities and confirmation of the range of subjects that will be delivered onsite;
• proposals for widening participation to embed the new facility among the people of the City and estimates of how much this will cost;
• proposals for integrating the Action Plan with wider City developments including the accelerated development of a Destination City, Destination Campus agenda; and
• a model of governance that the Taskforce proposes should operate to oversee delivery and to negotiate a path through any obstacles that might arise.

The Taskforce say its plan requires an investment from the Executive, including £291million for new developments, property purchases and refurbished buildings and public realm.

The choice has been made to provide more student places so more students can study at home, and at an expanding Magee campus. This means that the investment in student places will grow from £2.5m in 2024 to £35.4m in 2032.

KPMG have been engaged to provide an economic impact, and it estimates that these investments will see an economic return as early as 2029, with a £258m annual return on the investment for each year beyond that.

According to KPMG, the plan will lead to an estimated total of more than 4,600 jobs across Northern Ireland, with more than half of all jobs concentrated in the local North West economy.

The Taskforce also state confirmation by the Western Health and Social Care Trust, that the plan will ensure workforce stability for the health and social care system and improve health outcomes and life expectancy for people across the West.

Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Magee Taskforce said today: “We have been relentless since our establishment in March to deliver  an action plan before the end of 2024. I’m pleased to say that we have been able to present that plan to the Minister and many others today.

“Reaching this major milestone is testament to the range of people in this group who have each brought their own expertise and experience to bear on this project. We are beginning to reverse decades of neglect and underinvestment.

“An expanded campus at Ulster University’s Magee campus changes the face and the fortunes of Derry, benefits the entire North West and Northern Ireland.

“There are teams in place in the Department for the Economy including a dedicated team now on the campus, at the University and in Derry City and Strabane District Council who are already taking action to put this plan into practice. 

“The expansion of Magee is universally agreed as the most important catalyst for the regeneration of the North West, but does require considerable input from key decision-makers and the prioritising of this project, as is the commitment in the Programme for Government, means it must be resourced and supported at all levels of government. 

“These required investments are significant, but in public sector spending terms not undeliverable sums. These commitments must be made urgently if this timescale is to be met. In all our engagement to date, the Taskforce has been assured that such necessary investment will be forthcoming, and in the timescales indicated by our plan.

“A sense of urgency must now accompany the delivery of this plan.

“I would like to thank all members of the Taskforce for their commitment and the support they have shown to me during this time. We have also enjoyed enormous support and encouragement from the Minister, and I acknowledge, by his pursuit of this project, his genuine commitment to Derry and the wider North West region.”

Economy Minister Conor Murphy today welcomed the Action Plan from the Ulster University Magee Expansion Taskforce at a launch event at the university’s campus in Derry.

The Taskforce, chaired by Stephen Kelly with Vice-Chair Nicola Skelly, has worked tirelessly to develop a comprehensive roadmap for expanding Magee to 10,000 students. This project is set to drive transformative change for the North West, delivering significant educational, social and economic benefits.

Addressing an audience of key stakeholders, policymakers and members of the community, Minister Murphy highlighted the role this expansion will play in addressing the region's historic underinvestment and unlocking its potential for growth.

He said: “This report is a game changer for economic growth and social transformation across the North West.

“It will serve as a blueprint for continued collaboration among government, academia, the private sector, and the community and voluntary sector, to deliver the 10,000-student target at Ulster University’s Magee campus by 2032. 

“It is a key commitment in the draft Programme for Government. With the support of the Executive and the Action Plan in place, now is the time to deliver real change.”

The Minister outlined a number of key actions which have taken place since the Taskforce was established earlier this year. He said: “We have established a central office hub for the Magee Expansion Taskforce Team, secured funding for the Shared Island Teaching Block and Sports Air Dome, and provided funding for an additional 500 student places this academic year.

"From the next academic year onwards, students at the Graduate Entry Medical School will be able to access a tuition fee loan. These are just some of the milestones which lay the foundation for sustained progress.”

The Minister concluded: “We now have a plan to get us to 10,000 students. After that target is reached the sky is the limit for Derry.”

Foyle MP Colum Eastwood described the report as 'serious and significant.

The former SDLP leader said: "“I want to thank Stephen Kelly and the Magee Taskforce for the work they’ve undertaken. Their report is serious and significant. It sets out the enormous opportunity of investment in a full sized university in Derry - something many of us have been campaigning about for decades. 

“What we now need to see is a robust plan from the Executive to deliver on the huge potential of a university of at least 10,000 students in Derry. People here know that the devil is in the detail because we’ve been let down before. This was supposed to be delivered by 2020, then by 2030 and now we’ve got a new date of 2032. It’s time we saw more delivery than delay. 

“Delivering on the potential of Derry’s university will generate jobs, create new economic opportunities in skilled sectors, it will allow young people to build a life for themselves here and it will generate a significant boost to the whole cross-border North West region. 

“I secured the initial injection of cash for the expansion of Magee during talks with the British and Irish governments, I’ll keep working with everyone to get this across the line but now’s the time for the Executive to set out their plan.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council, Cllr Lilian Seenoi Barr has welcomed the publication of the Magee Taskforce Report and Action Plan today.

She said: “The expansion of the Magee campus is an integral part of the wider vision of Council and its partners to bring about positive and sustainable economic, social, cultural and civic benefits for the region. The expansion of the university is a central component in the economic regeneration of our City and District and wider region. We believe that university expansion, alongside with the City Deal investment, will stimulate growth and attract wider investment.

“Council fully acknowledges the work of Economy Minister Conor Murphy in establishing the Taskforce and his commitment to addressing regional imbalance. It is important to note that since the Task Force was set up, there has been a concentrated focus by the Department, along with allocated resources, to support the expansion of the Magee campus.

"I want to acknowledge the work done to date by the Task Force in prioritising the action plan and acknowledge the level of collaboration and input from a wide range of stakeholders. 

"This Action Plan sets out a positive pathway towards addressing the challenges of university campus expansion and increasing student numbers, as well as addressing issues around the local environmental and infrastructural requirements, necessary to support it.

“As a Council we are fully committed to playing our part in providing what support we can to achieve economic and sustainable growth in keeping with our commitments set out in our Strategic Growth Plan. I look forward to working with the Task Force and its partners as we move from action plan to implementation.”

Sinn Féin MLA Pádraig Delargy has hailed the launch of the Magee Taskforce report which provides a path to delivering 10,000 students at the university.

The Foyle MLA said: “I want to warmly welcome today’s report, which offers an ambitious, realistic vision towards delivering 10,000 students at Magee campus.

“This is a hugely positive day for the North West and demonstrates Economy Minister Conor Murphy’s commitment to driving forward real change for our region.

“The Taskforce’s report focuses include plans for new capital projects such as research facilities, teaching blocks, and student accommodation, an extensive marketing campaign in conjunction with Tourism NI, and improved relationships between the university and local communities.

“New economic analysis details the transformative impact the expansion of Magee will have, creating 4,600 jobs and boosting the local economy to the tune of £258 million per year.

“Putting Derry firmly on the map as a vibrant place to live, work and study is a priority for Sinn Féin, and I look forward to continuing to work with the economy minister and others to progress this game-changing project.”

Anna Doherty, Chief Executive, Derry Chamber said: "Derry Chamber welcomes the publication of the Magee Taskforce's report and action plan for the expansion of Ulster University's Magee campus to 10,000 students. This goal has long been promised to Derry and the North West and it is heartening to see plans for this growth finally take shape. We are very supportive of the work of the taskforce, in which our vice-president Steven Lindsay has played an important role, as have the other Chamber members who have been involved.

"We note that research commissioned by the taskforce highlights that by 2032, the expansion will create 4,600 jobs and result in additional GVA of £258m per annum and we recognise the significant opportunities this presents for our members, the local economy and Northern Ireland in general. We also support the call for significant, targeted investment from the Executive to make this goal a reality.

"It is Chamber's position that the level of investment set out within this report should be prioritised in order to achieve the regional balance, good jobs and increased productivity that Minister for the Economy Conor Murphy has made his priorities and reverse decades of underinvestment in our region.

"The delivery of 10,000 students in Derry will be an incredible boon for the North West's economy far beyond student numbers. We thank the Taskforce for their work in delivering this report and echo their call for a sense of urgency in the delivery of the plan."

PICTURED ABOVE: Pictured at Ulster University's Derry campus at the launch of the Magee Expansion Taskforce's final report and Action Plan are (l-r): Stephen Kelly, Chair of the Magee Taskforce; Cllr Lillian Seenoi Barr, Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council; Nicola Skelly, Vice Chair of the Magee Taskforce; Economy Minister Conor Murphy; and Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University.