As the 2011 winter graduation season begins, the University of Ulster has revealed that it is expanding the number of undergraduate places in Biomedical Sciences and in Computing available at the Coleraine campus.

The news follows last week's announcement that the University's teaching of history is to be consolidated at Coleraine.

Speaking to an audience of students, staff and families at the inaugural Winter Graduation ceremony at the Coleraine campus, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Richard Barnett, said:

“ In the current economic climate – and in the light of an £11m budget cut to the University, we have developed plans to rationalise the delivery of our academic programmes.

"We cannot afford duplication of provision.

“As part of our restructuring plan, we will provide an extra 62 places in Biomedical Science at Coleraine, as well as a further 58 places in Computing.

"We will also consolidate our teaching of history on the Coleraine campus, which will mean that history programmes currently provided at Magee will move to Coleraine.

"At the same time, we intend to consolidate nursing programmes and Irish at the Magee campus, where a new School of Irish Language and Literature will be formed."

Professor Barnett gave a commitment that students would not be inconvenienced by the restructuring, and that existing students would complete their degrees at the campuses on which they started their studies. ENDS