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  • Higher education

    Information and advice on higher education including policy and strategy, finance governance, student finance and research policy.

    contents

    DfE's role in higher education

    • Higher education quality assurance
    • Higher education division
    • Appointments to the governing body of St Mary’s University College Belfast - Pen Pictures

    Higher education finance and student support

    • Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme for the Academic Year 2025/26
    • Higher education finance and governance
    • Higher education student support

    Higher education quality assurance

    The Department's underpinning statutory responsibility to make provision for the assessment of the quality of provision that it funds are set out under Article 102 of the Education and Libraries (NI) Order 1986.

    Higher Education Research and Knowledge Exchange

    • Higher Education Research and Knowledge Exchange
    • Higher Education Quality-related Research (QR) funding
    • Higher Education Research Excellence Framework (REF)

    Ulster University Magee Taskforce

    The Ulster University Magee Taskforce was launched by then-Minister Murphy on 22 March 2024, to develop and oversee an action plan to expand Ulster University’s Magee campus in Derry~Londonderry to 10,000 students.

    Quality of higher education statistics

    This page includes information on the collection, validation and quality assurance of higher education (HE) data and statistics, and the quality guidance used in managing the production of HE statistics.

    Higher education policy and strategy

    • Ulster University Magee Taskforce
    • Higher education mobility
    • Higher education strategies for Northern Ireland

    Higher education widening participation

    In September 2012 the Minister launched Access to Success, the strategy for widening participation in higher education.

    Higher education qualifications

    The statistical bulletins below are produced by the Department using data collected by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

    Related to Higher education

    Most recent publications

    • Departmental Summary of the Financial Needs Assessment

      Published 18 March 2026
    • Magee Expansion Taskforce update - One Year On

      Published 14 January 2026
    See all publications in this topic

    Most recent consultations

    • Review of approach to Widening Participation in Higher Education

      Published 22 January 2026 Closes 16 April 2026
    • Consultation on the Northern Ireland Postgraduate Tuition Fee Loan

      Published 15 September 2025 Consultation closed
    See all consultations in this topic

    Most recent news items

    • Minister praises outstanding apprentices helping build a stronger economy

      Published 25 March 2026
    • Archibald reappoints Chair of the Stranmillis University College board of governors

      Published 9 March 2026
    See all news in this topic

    Access to information

    How to request information from the Department for the Economy including Freedom of Information (FOI) and the use of our Publication Scheme.

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