Student number cap risks stunting NI’s economic growth, vice chancellor says

A cap on the number of local students who can attend Northern Ireland universities risks “entrenching inequality and stunting our economic growth”, the vice chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast has said.

Professor Sir Ian Greer said Queen’s receives around 28,000 applications a year but can only take in around 3,500 local students.

He said increasing numbers of students were being forced to leave Northern Ireland and would not return.

The number of local students is controlled using the Maximum Aggregate Student Number (MASN) formula, which is set by Stormont’s Department for the Economy and depends on available funding.

Speaking ahead of A-level results day, Sir Ian said many families would be confronting the issue of the lack of university places in the region for the first time.

He said: “At Queen’s, we receive nearly 28,000 applications every year with the vast majority from Northern Ireland.

“Yet due to the funding cap imposed here by the NI Executive, known as Maximum Student Number, we are limited to offering approximately 3,500 places to students from here.

“While we are conscious of the pressures on public funding, this is a blunt and deeply frustrating cap as it is not based on the talent or potential of our students, nor the needs of our society or our growing economy.

“This is neither equitable nor sustainable. And is letting our young people down.”

The vice chancellor added: “This means that even when students work hard and achieve strong grades, they may still be denied a university place at home in Northern Ireland.

“At the same time, students from other parts of the UK can access those very same courses at universities here in Northern Ireland, sometimes with lower grades.

“This is not because they are more deserving, but simply because their places are not funded by and therefore not capped by Stormont, so creating inequality of access to local higher education for our young people here in Northern Ireland.”

Sir Ian said around 5,000 students are leaving Northern Ireland to study in Britain each year and that number is projected to double by 2030.

He added: “While some students choose to study away from home, and we support that choice, many others are reluctant leavers, pushed out of the system here in Northern Ireland due to the lack of available places.

“What’s worse, only about one in three of those who leave return.

“This is not just a personal loss for families, it’s a long-term economic loss for Northern Ireland.

“We are exporting our brightest minds and creating a skills gap that businesses and public services cannot fill.”

Earlier this year, university chiefs in Northern Ireland jointly called on political leaders to back an increase in tuition fees, warning that failure to tackle a funding crisis in the sector will force them to further cut places for local students.

But Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald ruled out a rise above the level of inflation.

Sir Ian said: “Had this been agreed, Northern Ireland would still be the cheapest place for our domiciled students to study.”

He added: “Unless we act now, we risk entrenching inequality and stunting our economic growth.

“To be clear, the MASN cap applies only to Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland students.

“Students from Great Britain and further afield are not part-funded by the Executive, so there is no limit on their numbers and no displacement of local applicants.”

The Department for the Economy has been approached for comment.