The Vice-Chancellor of Ulster University says a veterinary school could come to Coleraine campus, but not without funding from the Northern Ireland Executive.
During a deputation to members, which took place at this month’s full council meeting, Vice-Chancellor, Paul Bartholomew, outlined a number of planned enhancements of the Coleraine campus, and said all preparations for a veterinary school were being made but “the ball is in Northern Ireland Government’s court”.
Mr Bartholomew noted that there were over 3,200 students and 1,000 distance learners, with an increase this year of around 200 students, and the university’s focus for Coleraine is one of enhancement rather than increased student numbers.
“We’re tasked with something quite different on our Derry-Londonderry campus,” he said.
“It’s about giving more opportunities to young people for growth, and some of that growth has been at Coleraine and will continue, but not at the level that we will anticipate seeing in Derry-Londonderry.”
Mr Bartholomew said that, among the programmes of learning that have started in the last two years, Coleraine campus will offer a veterinary nursing course as of next year.
DUP councillor Mervyn Storey highlighted that, in a presentation from former Vice-Chancellor Paddy Nixon, in 2018, members were given “all sorts of promises” around new courses at Coleraine, including a veterinary school.
“We’ve had a very concentrated and very politically-motivated concentration on what happens in regards to Magee,” he said. “However what we’ve seen tonight is bricks and mortar, it’s paint and paper, but it doesn’t add one additional student to the Coleraine campus.”
DUP Alderman Aaron Callan also voiced concerned that any plans for a veterinary school were “not coming back onto the agenda at all”.
Mr Bartholomew said: “If Northern Ireland was to go out to tender to say there is funding available for a veterinary school, Ulster University would absolutely be putting a bid in and we would be hosting that on the Coleraine campus.”
“That’s absolutely our intent and it’s one of the reasons why we are trying to do a precursor of that by running veterinary nursing in 2025.
“We also have another animal science programme for people who are already veterinary nurses, and we’re also hoping to offer post -graduate development for qualified vets.
“All of which is a precursor that, should, Northern Ireland [Executive] decide that it will make funding available for a veterinary school, we would be in the best possible position to do that.
“Do I see signals that Northern Ireland is about to do that? I’m afraid I don’t, but if that does happen we are poised to do it.
“A veterinary school is always going to be fairly modest numbers, 30 students a year perhaps, and it would [cost] £5 million a year.
“I am not going to run a veterinary school unless it is offered with funding, but if Northern Ireland wishes to have one and it is funded we have tried to put ourselves in the best possible position to bid for that.
“So I’m not going to say it’s off the table, but the ball is certainly in Northern Ireland government’s court as far as I am concerned.”