THE Minister for Employment and Learning, Stephen Farry, has launched a ‘Big Conversation’ about the sustainability of higher education in Northern Ireland.
Speaking in the Assembly, Mr Farry said: “Higher education makes a vital impact on our economy and society here.
“It drives our knowledge economy by equipping our people with the higher level skills which companies, both local and newly investing, need to grow. It generates billions of pounds of spending in our economy and supports over 18,000 jobs for people in Northern Ireland across a range of occupations.
“It is one of the surest ways for people, regardless of their backgrounds or personal circumstances, to improve their life chances and employment prospects. It is a crucial enabler of social mobility, social cohesion, and social change.
“However, the model we currently use to support higher education here is no longer sustainable.”
The minister added: “We need an innovative solution. To find this we need an innovative process.”