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Protestant student exodus is myth - Empey

6 October 2009

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today dismissed claims that there was an ‘exodus’ of Protestant undergraduates from Northern Ireland choosing to study elsewhere.

Speaking in Parliament Buildings after a motion to discuss the migration of school leavers was dismissed, the Minister said: “I regret that I didn’t get the opportunity to respond to the motion today as I would like to clarify many of the misleading reports currently being carried in the media.

“Firstly I would like to make it abundantly clear that there is currently no exodus of Protestant undergraduates. Indeed we are losing fewer students today than we did 20 years ago.  The total numbers of school leavers from Protestant and Catholic communities leaving to study in Great Britain are very similar.  In 2006-07 there were 1,137 Protestant and 1,105 Catholic school leavers and in 2007-08 there were 1,142 Protestant and 1,060 Catholic school leavers choosing to study at GB universities.

“If we examine the total number of Northern Ireland domiciled students studying in Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, it is likely that there are now more students from a Catholic background, rather than a Protestant background, choosing to study outside Northern Ireland.”

In June 2008, the Department for Employment and Learning published a research report, conducted by Professor Osborne, which provided a contemporary position on participation in higher education in Northern Ireland and investigated the factors students take into account when deciding where to study.  The research showed that there were very few negative perceptions of Northern Ireland universities among school leavers.  In fact, the majority of respondents reported that Northern Ireland institutions were welcoming to all groups in terms of religion, disability, ethnicity and socio-economic status.  

Sir Reg continued: “It is, however, encouraging to note that more students are returning to Northern Ireland when their studies are complete than was the case some years ago.  Figures indicate that a decade ago, after graduating a third of Northern Ireland domiciled students took up their employment outside of Northern Ireland, this has now dropped to one quarter.

“I am determined that students should have total freedom of choice when deciding where to study, but I am also focused on addressing issues of under-representation wherever they occur, irrespective of religion, so that none of our young people are held back from realizing their full potential.”

Notes to editors:

  1. Details of the report by Professor Bob Osborne can be found on the Department’s website at www.delni.gov.uk
  2. All media queries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.