Shared Island investment for Magee welcomed by NWSGP
20 June 2023
Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council and Co-Chair of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership Cllr Patricia Logue has today welcomed the announcement of significant cross border funding for Ulster University’s Magee Campus in Derry to further expand higher education on both sides of the border.
The £44.5m investment from the Shared Island fund was announced today by the Irish Government for a new teaching and student services building at the Derry campus.
Mayor Logue, welcoming the investment said it was excellent news for the North West City Region saying it can be directly attributed to the important work carried out by the North West Strategic Partnership. The Partnership consists of senior Government officials from both the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish Government, civic leaders and officials from Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council, who meet bi-annually to take forward the North West City Region’s strategic opportunities for economic growth and prosperity.
This unique structure that was first established in 2016 through the North South Ministerial Council, to provide support and discussion to the North West City Region. Jointly led by Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council, the Partnership is chaired by the two Mayors, supported by the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) and was established in conjunction with and supported by The Executive Office and The Irish Government.
Mayor Logue said: “This investment as part of the Shared Island Fund is hugely significant and is a direct and positive outcome of the cross border tertiary education partnership that is facilitated by the North West Strategic Partnership. It further emphasises the importance of this grouping and the continued strong collaborative approach to improve education, tourism and investment in the North West City Region.”
Mayor Logue said this investment signalled progress in the achievement of the regional priorities that have been set by the North West Strategic Partnership to the North South Ministerial Council Secretariat.
An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Liam Blaney who also co-chairs the NWSGP said the announcement demonstrated the success of the cross border collaboration that is going on between the Council’s, education providers, businesses and tourism providers in the North West City Region
“This is major investment for the North West region that will further enhance the work that has been done to date to assist us in growing our capacity for education places and making further education opportunities more accessible. Back in 2018 through the North West Strategic Partnership, the Atlantic Technological University - which was then the Letterkenny Institute of Technology, UIster University, the North West Regional College and the Donegal Education and Training Board launched a Memorandum of Understanding to assist in the growth of third level education places in the North West City Region. At the most recent meeting of the North West Strategic Growth Partnership just last week the Atlantic TU reported that Ulster University are assisting them in the growing the number of research positions and the professors working within the North West, and this latest investment will allow them to continue with that positive outcome.”