Economy Minister Conor Murphy has officially opened the £46 million Causeway Campus of Northern Regional College in Coleraine.

Equipped with cutting-edge learning and training facilities, the campus is set to serve thousands of students and the local community. Already in operation, it has experienced a 15% rise in full-time enrolments for the new academic year.

Minister Murphy said: "I am delighted to officially open this highly anticipated new campus for Northern Regional College, which represents a significant investment by my Department.

"The new campus has already become an important landmark in Coleraine. Integrated with its neighbouring community, and designed with students and industry partners in mind, the facility provides a comfortable and vibrant place to learn and innovate.

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"It makes use of the latest technologies and is designed to be agile, in response to the emerging needs of innovative businesses now, and in the future.

"So, this is an important day, not only for our colleagues here at Northern Regional College, but also for the local community, for the further education sector, and for our economy."

Located on Union Street, the campus consolidates all teaching from the college’s former Coleraine and Ballymoney campuses on an expansive 12,600m2 site incorporating a high-spec four-storey new build and a restored listed Victorian building.

The new Causeway Campus will be home to over 150 staff and 1,300 students each year, with its purpose-built site offering more than 50 new education and training spaces including laboratories, hair and beauty salons, animal management areas, and a fully equipped television studio and control room. A new training restaurant is also set to open to the public later in the autumn.

The Minister added: "The design and construction of this campus has made a significant social contribution locally. More than 2,500 weeks of employment and training have been provided, including through traineeships, apprenticeships and higher level apprenticeships across a range of construction-related trades.

"With this new campus, a new Ballymena Campus for the college under construction, and other significant capital projects across the sector, the future for further education is a positive one."