Education alliance to benefit cross border education provision and opportunities

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Education alliance to benefit cross border education provision and opportunities

The North West Strategic Growth Partnership, in partnership with the Higher and Further Education and Training Institutions of the North West City Region, has announced a new agreement in education, training and innovation for the North West City region with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between education sector providers on both sides of the border.

The MoU is the result of years of successful collaborative working amongst the education sector providers – the Ulster University, Letterkenny Institute for Technology (LYIT), North West Regional College (NWRC) and Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) – with the aim of improving access to higher and further level education and training to students living and studying in the North West City region.

The North West Strategic Growth Partnership is led by Derry City and Strabane District Council and Donegal County Council and supported by the International Centre for Local and Regional Development (ICLRD) in conjunction with and supported by The Executive Office and The Irish Government.

The Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton T.D. was in attendance at today’s signing and endorsed this historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) saying, “Today’s announcement is a fantastic development for the North West region. This new partnership will greatly enhance collaboration between the education and training providers in key areas such as research, innovation and education and training.

“Brexit will pose a significant challenge to our higher and further education institutions. Through our Action Plan for Education, which aims to make Ireland’s education system the best in Europe within a decade, we are preparing our education and training providers to respond to this challenge. Talent drives the success of any region and strong hubs will be the engine of regional development. Today’s partnership is a very welcome development, which will have a really significant impact on the North West region.”

An Cathaoirleach of Donegal County Council Cllr Gerry McMonagle said the signing of the MoU was hugely significant for the region. He said: “The MoU builds on the excellent collaborative work previously undertaken between the partners to support regional growth through delivering on the higher and further education needs of the North West. It will allow the partners to work together as anchors of the economy of the region and contribute to the advancement of the North West City Region growth agenda that investments in higher and further education can achieve with added value for everyone.”

Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Cllr Maolíosa McHugh said: “This is a significant event for education growth in our region and is in keeping with the objective set out by the North West Strategic Growth Partnership to promote cross cutting regional growth in the education sector. I am confident that the MoU will give the two governments the mechanism with which to engage with the education institutions to deliver on our shared further and higher educational ambitions and further enhance cross border co-operation.”

Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice Chancellor of Ulster University said: “This landmark agreement demonstrates our shared vision to create a regional strategic alliance for the North West, that drives innovation and investment and delivers co-ordinated cross border third level education to the people of this region and beyond. In practical terms, this consolidates the excellent collaboration that is already operating informally and embeds this partnership working model across our regional network. Today’s agreement will allow for a more co-ordinated approach to student pathway and progression and marks a step change in our approach to delivery of quality education in the North West.”

Paul Hannigan, President of Letterkenny Institute of Technology said the alignment of a cross border further and higher education cluster in the North West City region is essential if the region is to grow and develop its education offering and maximise the emerging potential for those who wish to live, work and invest in this region.

He said: “The signing of the MoU between the education providers in the region is very significant and is testament to the huge amount of positive work that has been done behind the scenes to really look at how we can develop education, research and innovation foundations for the North West region. This alliance will allow us to design and deliver new courses and programmes that will support economic and social development and improve efficiency through shared staffing and facilities on a range of programmes, teaching and research. Key to this alliance is the positive impact it will have on our students and the way it will open up new opportunities for them as well as encourage and facilitate wider participation in education programmes.”

Leo Murphy, Principal and Chief Executive of North West Regional College said the MoU will contribute greatly to the outcomes of the Further and Higher Education Strategy in the City and Region. “Anything that facilitates student mobility and participation in education is to be welcomed and this MoU will go a long way towards assisting us in facilitating further cross border co-operation in teaching, learning and innovation.”

Anne McHugh, Chief Executive of Donegal Education Training Board said she is confident this alliance will provide effective progression pathways for students and graduates to higher education. “This is great news for the education sector in the North West and a really positive collaboration between education providers on both sides of the border. The MoU will assist us in achieving many of the strategic goals set out in our Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-19 to ensure active inclusion, integrated planning and funding and quality provision.”

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Ulster University Business School joins elite USA group

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Ulster University Business School joins elite USA group

Ulster University Business School has been accepted into the prestigious Babson Collaborative for Entrepreneurship Education. Combined with its affiliation to Harvard Business School, Ulster University Business School has become the first Business School in the UK to have formal relationships with both institutions.

Based in Massachusetts, USA, Babson Collaborative is a membership organisation that brings together educational institutions seeking to increase their capability and capacity in building entrepreneurship education programmes. It is an initiative by Babson College which is regarded as a global authority in entrepreneurship education.

Professor Mark Durkin, Executive Dean of Ulster University Business School, said;

“We are delighted to have been accepted by Babson Collaborative, the most prestigious entrepreneurship institute in the world. This affiliation allows us to access, create, and share the most thought-provoking, and forward-looking content related to entrepreneurship education. But acceptance into the group is just the beginning as membership of this elite collaboration is dynamic and demands active participation and contribution by each of its affiliates. We are looking forward to playing our part which in turn will bring substantial added value to our School and alongside the partnership with Harvard, further strengthen our influence in the field of entrepreneurial education.”

Through membership in the Babson Collaboration, Ulster University Business School aims to enhance its entrepreneurship education offerings by developing new flexibly delivered modules such as Digital Transformation, Artificial Intelligence and Entrepreneurial Growth, tailored to the needs of Northern Ireland’s business community and learning from the best practices of the most revered entrepreneurship educators globally.

Heidi Neck, Professor, Babson College, said;

“We are very proud to have Ulster University Business School as a member of the Babson collaborative. I know that the School aims to be the leading provider of entrepreneurship education in the UK and Ireland by 2021. Like us at Babson, they are embracing change in educational delivery. Today, it’s all about customised learning experiences – learning through experimentation, building a tolerance, and appreciation for uncertainty. We applaud and support the work at the Business School and look forward to co-creating programmes and learning together.”

In April 2013, Ulster University Business School became the first School in the UK and is still the only School to be affiliated with Harvard Business School. Since then it has delivered the Microeconomics of Competitiveness course developed by Harvard Professor Michael E Porter, a world leading authority in matters of economic competitiveness.

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Ulster University launches test centre to meet growing demands for nurses across the UK

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Ulster University launches test centre to meet growing demands for nurses across the UK

Ulster University is continuing to support the vital transformation of Northern Ireland’s healthcare system by launching its new Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Competence Test Centre at Ulster University’s Magee campus, which aims to meet the growing demands for overseas nurses and midwives wishing to work in UK.

Nurses and midwives registered outside of the EU/EEA are required to undergo stringent procedures before they can practice in the UK. This involves successfully taking a two-part test of competence. The first part of the test is computer-based and can be taken anywhere in the world. If successful, applicants can then take the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at a UK test centre.

Situated at the University’s Magee campus, as part of the School of Nursing, the new purpose-built, designated test centre will deliver the objective, structured clinical examination (OSCE), which tests applicants’ skills, knowledge and behaviours in a simulated practice environment.

The test centre at Ulster University is one of just three in the UK and the only centre in Northern Ireland. It joins similar centres in Oxford Brookes University and University of Northampton.

All non-EU/EEA registered nurses recruited directly by the Trusts will be required to go through the Test Centre at Magee before they can practice. With no waiting lists currently in place, Ulster University can bring our much-needed registered nurses recruited overseas through the centre immediately and ensure that they are all promptly allocated to clinical practice and patient care.

The new test centre, which has the potential to test 45 candidates per week will help to increase nursing capacity in UK, allowing a greater choice of location and shorter waiting times for overseas nurses and midwives wanting to sit the test.

The new Competence Test Centre facility at Magee Campus also serves the Independent Sector in enabling overseas nurses recruited to work in the Nursing Home sector to undertake the OSCE ‎in Northern Ireland.

Speaking at the opening of the new test centre, Professor Charlotte McArdle, Chief Nursing Officer for Northern Ireland, stated:

“We are actively addressing the nursing staffing issue on a number of levels, including the recruitment of 622 overseas nurses by 2020. The new Nursing and Midwifery Council Competence Test Centre at Ulster University will ensure that any oversees nurses who apply to work within the trusts each year have gained professional registration and that they are fit to practice in the UK at the required standard.

“We recognise the invaluable contribution that nurses educated outside the EU and EEA make and the key role they play in the UK’s health and care workforce, but it is vital that they possess the correct skills and qualifications required.”

Professor Carol Curran, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Life and Health Sciences, also said:

“We are delighted that Ulster University is one of just three universities in the UK selected to offer such a vital service. This new test centre demonstrates the commitment of the University and the Department to strengthening and enhancing the healthcare workforce.

“Located at our Magee campus, the centre builds on our delivery of our nursing education provision and stratified medicine in the city. Alongside innovations such as our Physician Associate Course, our School of Nursing and our allied health profession courses, this test centre is a further opportunity to make a tangible impact on the pressing challenges and demands of our health service.

“Across our own skilled and committed nursing graduates and the nurses who will gain their registration through this centre, our Magee campus makes a valuable and rewarding contribution to nursing care.”

Lynn Fee, HSC International Recruitment Nursing Lead / Assistant Director of Nursing at Southern Health and Social Care Trust, also stated:

“The new test centre in Ulster University’s Magee campus is vital to ensure that the nurses educated outside the EU and EEA who wish to join our register can sit the test in a timely way, assisting overall in the direct intervention of healthcare workforce challenges in Northern Ireland.

“The current project to recruit overseas nurses for the HSC follows a regional approach. Nurses must pass through the NMC Competence Test Centre before they can practice and, once registered, are placed into the points of greatest need within the Healthcare System to best serve our community.”

For further information on Ulster University’s NMC competence test centre, visit https://www.ulster.ac.uk/faculties/life-and-health-sciences/nmc-competence-test-centre.

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New dairy technology centre opens in Artigarvan after £30m investment

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New dairy technology centre opens in Artigarvan after £30m investment

Mark Canning (left), corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, and Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick

Mark Canning (left), corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, and Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick

DAIRY processor LacPatrick has opened a new technology centre in Artigarvan following a £30 million Danske Bank-backed investment which has led to the creation of 20 jobs in areas such as operations, quality, environmental and health & safety.

LacPatrick was formed in 2015 after a merger between Town of Monaghan Co-Operative and Ballyrashane Co-Operative, and the Artigarvan site has 70 staff, with LacPatrick Dairies employing 300 people across all of its sites.

The new 30,000 sq ft centre will double the site’s capacity, making the firm one of the biggest producers of dairy products in the UK. It represents one of the single biggest investments in the Northern Ireland dairy industry in recent years.

Gabriel D’Arcy, chief executive of LacPatrick, said: “This new dairy technology centre will provide security of capacity for local dairy farmers, producing milk to the highest standards.

“The plant provides long-term security to our supplier base and positions the business at the forefront of global dairy technologies.

“We are now able to produce two new lines of milk powder for international markets with the dairy technology centre able to process milk all year round.”

Mr D’Arcy said the core logistical risk of Brexit has been greatly mitigated by the Artigarvan facility (as an exporter out of the UK, LacPatrick says it will be closely monitoring the trading agreements being negotiated).

He added: “We will be focused on driving product development, building relationships with processors seeking access to our technology and expanding our customer base in Asia and the Middle East.

“We have made a significant capital investment with the clear purpose of delivering a sustainable return to our suppliers over the coming months and years ahead.”

Mark Canning, corporate acquisition manager at Danske Bank, which has had a long-standing relationship with Ballyrashane Co-Operative, said: “This significant investment demonstrates LacPatrick’s continued innovative approach and dynamic presence in the dairy food sector.”

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Poundstretcher invests £500,000 and creates 20 x Jobs in Derry ~ Londonderry

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Poundstretcher invests £500,000 and creates 20 x Jobs in Derry ~ Londonderry

poundstretcher

Poundstretcher has confirmed its new Derry store will open on Tuesday 6th Feb at the Faustina Retail Park. Poundstretcher have invested £500,000 in the new store and recruited 20 new members of staff (part and full time). Poundstretchers investment at the Faustina Retail park follows the investment and creation of 80 jobs by The Range Retail Group at this key cross border retail park.

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Magee expansion: £11m teaching block opens at Derry campus

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Magee expansion: £11m teaching block opens at Derry campus

Ulster University opens a new state-of-the-art teaching block at Magee this week marking an £11million investment in the campus.

Dr Malachy O'Neill, Provost of the Ulster University’s Magee campus outside the new £11m teaching facility.

Dr Malachy O’Neill, Provost of the Ulster University’s Magee campus outside the new £11m teaching facility.


The innovative development delivers the most modern and cutting-edge facilities available in teaching accommodation to students and provides a collaborative teaching approach at Magee.

The four-storey facility, which is attached to the existing library, covers a floor space of 4000 sq meters; including three lecture theatres, 20 teaching rooms, open plan student hubs and a café.

Its opening represents a major investment by the University in world-class teaching space, significantly enhancing the student experience at Magee and underpinning the University’s commitment to developing the campus.

The new teaching block will increase the capacity of the campus for additional students and features a 314 seat lecture theatre representing a significant increase on present facilities.

Professor Paddy Nixon, Vice-Chancellor, Ulster University said:

“The opening of this new £11million teaching block is yet another positive step forward in the realisation of our strategic vision for Magee and underlines the University’s commitment to expansion in the north-west

“As an inclusive and internationally focussed university, we want to offer students the most dynamic and high quality teaching environment possible – one that will confidently provide the foundations for rewarding careers for our graduates.

“The state-of-the art facility will ensure a collaborative teaching approach and interactive learning experience for all of our students. It is a major boost for our staff and current students and also paves the way for enhanced future capacity on the Magee campus in line with our broader expansion plans.”

Ulster University’s Magee campus offers a wide range of undergraduate courses spanning all four faculties in Life and Health Sciences, Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment, Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences and the Ulster University Business School . The recently launched Doctoral College, which has a base in Magee, also enables the provision of student opportunity at the highest level in the city.

Dr Malachy Ó Néill, Provost of the University’s Magee campus, said:

“Students across all faculties and disciplines will benefit greatly from the new facilities – both academically in terms of the high quality teaching environment provided and also socially, with access to relaxed café spaces and student hubs encouraging an interactive experience.

“The new block also features the largest lecture theatre ever constructed on the campus – with capacity for over 300 students. The facility will also be a huge civic asset, offering a fantastic conference centre with incredible views of the city and we are looking forward to welcoming even more local and international visitors to the campus.

“Facilities such as these are vital to ensuring we have the best quality environment for teaching and research for our students whilst also serving the needs of the wider community and supporting economic growth in the region.”

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Local designers to showcase during London Fashion Week

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Local designers to showcase during London Fashion Week.

Local Designers attending London Fashion Week

Local Designers attending London Fashion Week

Ten ‘up and coming’ local designers will get a unique opportunity to showcase their collections to an audience of global fashion experts and international press at an exclusive exhibitor event during London Fashion Week next month.

The ten local designers who have been selected to travel to London in mid-February – known as the Derry Design Collective – follows a special ‘pitching’ event held last week at the Fashion & Textile Design Centre on Shipquay Street.

A total of 15 designers put forward their ‘perfect pitch’ to judges – including John Paul Doherty of John Paul Couture and industry specialist Jenny Holloway, CEO of renowned Fashion Enter London (FEL).

Derry City and Strabane District Council, in partnership with the Fashion & Textile Design Centre and Fashion Enter London held the ‘pitching’ competition as part of the Designer Business Start Up Programme – which supports emerging designers and helps to take them commercially to market through a series of workshops led by industry experts.

The bespoke scheme – which is also sponsored by Invest NI – draws on the expertise of Jenny Holloway to disseminate ‘best practice’ – ensuring local designers are empowered and provided with essential skills training, knowledge and the tools to develop their businesses effectively and efficiently.

Helen Quigley, Chief Executive of the Inner City Trust, said that the opportunity being created for our local designers is the culmination of the partnership working that has taken place in the Fashion & Textile Design Centre over the last number of years. This work has combined significant support from the team at the Inner City Trust, Derry City & Strabane District Council, Invest NI and Fashion Enter, and represents a commitment in presenting our local talent in a global setting.

Danielle McNally, Business Officer with Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: “I am delighted that the ten winners will be able to avail of this incredible opportunity – and will benefit from the hands-on experience, technical training and professional mentoring from Fashion Enter London.

“Council is delighted to be working with the renowned Fashion Enter team on this fantastic initiative, providing unique opportunities for our emerging designers to work with leading industry experts to commercialise their design talents.

“We have a wealth of local design talent, and ultimately this programme will provide the tools and the opportunities required to support designers in making their fashion or textile business a reality.

“Indeed, this programme aims to give emerging local designers an invaluable profile boost by presenting them to an international audience during one of the most important weeks of the fashion calendar.”

Deirdre Williams, Business Development Manager with the Fashion and Textile Design Centre and Inner City Trust, added: “I would like to pay tribute to the strength and diversity of all the local designers who took part in the ‘pitching’ event.

“I was hugely impressed by the diversity and innovation of the local designers who are such creative and talented people representing both quality and variety in the fashion and textiles sector.

“It is clear from the outstanding talent displayed at the pitching sessions that our region – as in the past with our world famous shirt industry heritage – is continuing to produce young and emerging talent whose imagination and quality of design is key to a successful future in the global fashion industry.

“This will be a fantastic opportunity for the winning designers from the Derry & Strabane district to showcase their Autumn/Winter 2018 collections during London Fashion Week at the Fashion Enter premises in London.

“It will also provide opportunities for the ten local designers to engage with the UK fashion industry and build international connections.

“I am therefore delighted that they will avail of this unique opportunity to present their collections outside of local markets to an international audience.”

For further information on the Designer Business Start Up Programme visit http://www.derrystrabane.com/Designer-Start-Up-Programme

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Beacon Broadband is creating 12 jobs in Derry~Londonderry

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Beacon Broadband is creating 12 jobs in Derry~Londonderry.
A new wireless broadband provider based in the North West, Beacon Broadband is creating 12 jobs in Derry~Londonderry to help it increase its export sales and position itself for future growth in the Republic of Ireland market.

Beacon Broadband delivers high speed wireless broadband to homes and businesses.

Des Gartland, Invest Northern Ireland’s North West Regional Manager welcomed the expansion during a visit to the company’s premises: “Beacon Broadband was established in 2016 to exploit a gap in the wireless broadband market created as a result of the increased popularity in media streaming. These new jobs are great news for the local area and our support is ensuring the company has the resources in place to win new business in its target markets.”

“Helping small businesses and entrepreneurs to compete and grow in export markets is a priority for Invest NI. We are confident that this is only the beginning for Beacon Broadband and we look forward to building on our relationship with the company in the coming years. ”

Invest Northern Ireland has offered the company £48,000 towards the creation of the new jobs. Roles to be created include installers, sales support staff, an office manager and a technical engineer.

Managing Director of Beacon Broadband, Brian McCourt said: “Our company ethos is built on providing strong customer service backed by the provision of guaranteed service speeds and uptime. Using the latest technology, we offer speeds that rival fibre broadband in areas that have little or no broadband access. This is making us a very attractive proposition to many consumers across both Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland.”

Pictured (L-R) are Brian McCourt, Beacon Broadband, and Des Gartland, Invest NI

Pictured (L-R) are Brian McCourt, Beacon Broadband, and Des Gartland, Invest NI

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Wurkhouse to create 30 digital jobs in Derry

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Wurkhouse to create 30 digital jobs in Derry

Alastair Hamilton (right), Invest NI, is pictured with Troy Armour, Wurkhouse.

Alastair Hamilton (right), Invest NI, is pictured with Troy Armour, Wurkhouse.


Londonderry based technology firm Wurkhouse is to create 30 digital marketing jobs as part of ambitious expansion plans to help it grow its export sales. Wurkhouse provides innovative marketing solutions to a wide range of clients based both locally and outside of Northern Ireland.

Welcoming the investment, Invest Northern Ireland’s Chief Executive, Alastair Hamilton said: “Wurkhouse is a young and innovative business with high growth potential. The 30 jobs being created will contribute over £780,000 in additional annual salaries to the economy and offer excellent employment opportunities in the local area.

“The Creative Industries sector has been identified in Derry City & Strabane District Council’s Strategic Growth Plan as a priority sector for future economic growth and prosperity. Wurkhouse is a great example of a successful firm that is making a valuable contribution to that plan and providing local job opportunities for the talented workforce in the North West.

“We are delighted to support Wurkhouse in the next stage of its journey and to ensure it has the skills and knowledge necessary to exploit the substantial export opportunities it has identified, particularly in the GB and RoI markets.”

The new roles will include a range of designers, web developers, SEO and social media roles and will increase the company’s employment to 49 staff over the next three years.

In 2015, Wurkhouse received assistance from Invest NI of £24,000 to help with developing its design team.

Troy Armour, CEO of Wurkhouse said: “We are focused on becoming the leading digital agency in Northern Ireland through our export driven growth strategy. The advice and support we have received from Invest NI is helping us to scale quickly and has been vital to our ongoing growth and development.

“We play an integral role in the success of many of our clients and we believe that this success comes from our experienced staff and in-depth knowledge of the digital sector. We are confident that the North West region has the skills base we need to enhance our team, which will help us to achieve our ambitious plans for growth over the next three years and beyond.

“These jobs are for what we call ‘Creative Intelligents’. We seek two core attributes when hiring; intelligence and passion so we are looking for people with intelligence, who have a passion for what they do. This helps us deliver smart solutions for our clients and their passion is carried over into the delivery. It is like that old adage – cooking with love just makes the food taste better.”

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Strabane manufacturer to hire 83 staff in ambitious £7m expansion

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A STRABANE-based manufacturer is set to double its workforce in an ambitious £7 million expansion.

Strabane-based Fabplus has announced it is planning to more than double its workforce and turnover. Darren McGavigan (left), Fabplus is pictured with Alastair Hamilton and Des Gartland, Invest NI

Strabane-based Fabplus has announced it is planning to more than double its workforce and turnover. Darren McGavigan (left), Fabplus is pictured with Alastair Hamilton and Des Gartland, Invest NI


Fabplus, which provides provides prefabricated pipework for use in fire sprinkler systems, is set to create 83 new jobs as part of a three-year plan to increase business both at home and abroad.

Recruitment is already underway to fill the new positions, which include management and production staff and the roles, set to be in place by 2019, will generate £1.7million annually in additional salaries, bring total employment at the firm to 138 people.

The major investment further includes expansion of the firm’s factory space storage and R&D facilities on Orchard Road as well as the development of an in-house powder coating and pipe optimisation capability and implementation of a staff training plan.

Fablus director Darren McGavigan said the ambitious expansion plan is being carried out with a view to competing in the global market.

“Extending the factory by 48,000 sq ft will increase our production capacity and improve factory workflow. Adding breadth and depth to the management team will also introduce additional expertise into the business while implementing our innovative new processes will consolidate our market leading position with new and existing customers.”

Invest NI has offered £786,000 towards the expansion, including £187,590 of R&D support, part funded by the European Regional Development Fund.

Invest NI chief executive Alastair Hamilton said the latest investment from Fabplus is a “significant boost” to the construction sector.

“Fabplus is an established family business in Strabane which has experienced considerable growth over the last five years. The company has been working in partnership with Invest NI during this time and developed a strong competitive advantage in the UK marketplace.”

“Fabplus wants to take advantage of growth opportunities in mainland Europe and Scandinavia and is utilising our help and expertise to invest in the resources, capabilities, training and R&D needed to help achieve its objective,” Mr Hamilton added.

The family business is a subsidiary of Mechanical Pipework Fabrication Limited (MPF), based in Lifford in the Republic of Ireland. Its equipment is installed in power stations, warehouses, retail buildings, hospitals, stadiums, apartment blocks and factories throughout Britain and the island of Ireland.

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