To ask the Minister for Employment and Learning how recent budget cuts will impact upon collaborative efforts between the Northern Regional College and Ulster University, Coleraine, to establish Foundation degrees in Performing Arts and Computing in September 2016 and in Business with Information Technology in September 2017.

My policy is to encourage the provision of Foundation Degrees as the primary intermediate level professional and technical qualification which will have a major role to play in meeting the higher level priority skills needs of the Northern Irish economy. Over the last few years, I have made increased funding available to provide an additional 83 full time higher education places at Northern Regional College, bringing the overall total allocation to 332 places.

However, in the current financial climate I have recently had to pass on budgetary reductions to all providers of higher education. While the total numbers of full time higher education places in the regional Further Education Colleges has been protected for this year, there is little likelihood of further expansion in the short term.

My Department does not determine the disciplines in which the universities and regional colleges will collaborate in the development of Foundation degree qualifications. It is entirely a matter for the senior management of the institutions to determine the allocation of places across the course provision to best meet local demand.