Department for the Economy Board minutes 2024 - 16 December 2024

(name redacted) presented:

• This relates to DfE-funded PhD places. Current funding is for the equivalent of 729 full time PhD students in NI costing £19m pa. Current funding arrangements in N.I. strongly prioritise support for PhDs.
• Consultants carried out a review of the scheme to determine its effectiveness and value for money (VFM). Mainly due to a lack of data the review was unable to provide sufficient evidence to support a robust economic appraisal of the scheme in its current format and existing funding.
• There is not strong evidence of VFM to support the scheme.
• The pros and cons of PhD vs Masters were discussed including cost and employability.
• Workshops were held with key stakeholders and a survey issued to businesses. From this, 6 options were developed and a public consultation undertaken.
• The proposed alternative approach involves higher education institutions (HEIs) submitting proposals for cohorts of funded PhD places on an annual basis. These should be supported by a business case outlining how the studentships align with the Minister’s Economic Vision and wider PfG priorities, as well as outlining specific objectives for the cohorts of students over the 3-year period. Money would not be taken out of the scheme and this would give greater flexibility but added administration.
• The Board endorsed the proposed approach.
• This will now be discussed with HEI stakeholders and presented to the Economy Committee at a briefing scheduled for 22 January 2025.

Alternative Funding Policy

• The purpose of this new policy is to embed consideration of alternative (non-baseline) sources of funding into policy formulation, delivery and review.
• Availability of alternative funding should not distort what our priorities are.
• The Board endorsed this subject to feedback from others.

Tourism Action Plan

• A Tourism Partnership Board has been developed and there has been progress on the development of the Tourism Action Plan.
• This was one of Minister’s priorities.
• Updates will be given to the Board twice-yearly.

Contracts register

• The format of this report has changed and is now broken down by type of contract.
• There are 3 research projects with end dates in 2023 which we have asked to be closed down.
• Digital information will be commissioned in January.

Major projects

• A downward trend in compliance particularly around the low engagement with the Gateway Assurance process was discussed.
• Risk potential assessments require completion, and this is a risk. The importance of this and the role of the SRO need stressed at training.
• Clear definitions would be useful.

Commercial capability

• Compliance with training is still less than 100% but has increased.
• To note that the 748 commercial related rows are not individual.

ARAC minutes

• The minutes of the meeting of 3 September 2024 were noted.

Health and Safety Mid-Year Report

• A list of available training courses were listed in the report. Only 4 are mandatory including Fire Safety Awareness, H&S Awareness and Display Screen Equipment Risk Assessment.

Resource & People Committee

• A paper was proved on the meeting of 4 December 2024.
• Some of the most significant staffing pressures are at SO and DP.
• We are not expecting the staffing position or funding to improve substantially.
• We need to continue to look at staffing priorities within business areas and move people as necessary.

Energy Strategy

• The content of this update was noted.

HR update

• (name redacted) outlined her priorities going forward including, Health and Wellbeing Strategy and DfE Action Plan, strategic workforce planning and a skills audit.