Introduction

Northern Ireland's New Look Further Education Sector

On 1st August 2007, Northern Ireland’s 16 FE colleges merged into six new super colleges. This is good news for Northern Ireland’s largest education sector, as well as for learners, communities and businesses throughout Northern Ireland.

The creation of these larger and more influential colleges is just one aspect of the government’s future strategy for further education entitled Further Education Means Business, which aims to build upon the excellent work of colleges by creating a highly skilled workforce through the delivery of world class FE provision.

This is the most significant development in FE’s 100 year history and the sector is about to enter its most exciting period to date. The six colleges will continue to be at the heart of local communities, building on provision and serving all learners throughout Northern Ireland.


Why are colleges merging?

  • Most colleges will now be similar in size and this will secure the long term viability of the colleges in each of the six regions. This will secure provision in local communities and continued ease of access for students across Northern Ireland.
  • The face of education is changing across all of Northern Ireland and this restructuring of the FE sector will support these changes.

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What does this mean for staff in FE colleges?

  • Larger colleges with larger budgets will have more scope to devote resources to continuous improvement, staff development and quality enhancement.
  • Enhanced facilities and a wider curriculum will provide increased opportunities for staff development in colleges.
  • Staffing changes made in the course of the college mergers will be carried out in accordance with TUPE – the legislation on the Transfer of Undertakings Protection of Employment. Under this legislation, the existing terms and conditions of service of all staff will be protected.

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What does this mean for students in Northern Ireland? 

  • The six colleges aim to promote increased collaboration across the existing 47 FE campuses, resulting in greater choice and ease of access for individual learners at all levels.
  • The new structure will enable a more co-ordinated and collaborative approach to be taken to the provision of courses, particularly at Level 4 and above, again providing greater choice locally for students.
  • The new structure will bring about a more efficient use of available resources, making more resources available for the provision of services to students, employers and the community.

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What does this mean for the business community?

  • Six large colleges with multi million pound budgets, high quality staff and leading edge facilities, will help the FE sector to become a driving force for economic and workforce development, both locally and across Northern Ireland, thereby enhancing the sector's profile and status among business and industry.
  • Larger colleges will have the capacity and resources to respond to the changing needs of business and industry in terms of skills provision and business development.

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What are the new six colleges? 

The new college groupings are:

  • Belfast Metropolitan College
    (Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education and Castlereagh College of Further and Higher Education)
  • North West Regional College
    (North West Institute of Further and Higher Education and Limavady College of Further and Higher Education)
  • Northern Regional College
    (Causeway Institute of Further and Higher Education, North East Institute of Further and Higher Education and East Antrim Institute of Further and Higher Education)
  • South Eastern Regional College
    (East Down Institute of Further and Higher Education, Lisburn Institute of Further and Higher Education and North Down and Ards Institute of Further and Higher Education)
  • South West College
    (East Tyrone College of Further and Higher Education, Fermanagh College and Omagh College)
  • Southern Regional College
    (Armagh College of Further and Higher Education, Newry and Kilkeel Institute of Further and Higher Education and Upper Bann Institute of Further and Higher Education)

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Will college provision be effected by the mergers?


College provision has continued as normal during the merger period and it is still business as usual now that the new colleges are up and running.


Who do I contact if I want to find out more about the mergers?

For further information contact ANIC on comm@anic.ac.uk


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