Professor Malachy Ó Néill:

The UCAS–CAO conversation relates to the admissions process so it is one to be had with the agencies themselves. It would certainly be worth exploring. It would be beneficial to a number of partners, particularly in the cross-Border space.

That not everybody is going to pursue a career in medicine or robotics is why the broad offering is so important. It is important to acknowledge that we currently have strong offerings, from law to business, from the Irish language and drama to engineering and computing, and from nursing to social work and so on. We are adding paramedical and medical training from next year.

On making sure there is a fit for all and an opportunity to widen access to and participation in further and higher education, the partnership plays an integral and pivotal role. Offering a transition from one institution to another is central to that. The statistics on widening participation show the kind of impact it makes, particularly at Ulster university's Magee campus. The most recent statistics show that 54% of students at Magee campus originate in the two lowest quantiles in terms of socioeconomic deprivation. That shows that education is making a huge difference in the north-west city region. It shows that Ulster university is making a huge difference in that city region and will continue to do so in collaboration with our partners, including North West Regional College, Donegal ETB and LYIT.