To ask the Minister for the Economy to detail (i) whether the Queen’s University Belfast and Ulster University are planning on returning to face to face teaching in September; and (ii) what conversations she has had with these universities on this issue.

As our Universities are autonomous institutions, the model and implementation of provision is for them to consider based on public health advice from the Executive. However, Ulster University and Queen’s University Belfast have already written to their students to set out their vision for the new academic year and I am pleased that both include a commitment to a significant return to face to face learning for our students.

I have not had the opportunity to speak with the Universities on this issue but it is my view that students should return to face to face teaching as soon as it was safe to do so and my officials have been engaging with them regularly in relation.