Ulster University’s leadership in innovation and skills development has been recognised at Belfast City Hall, where the Belfast Region City Deal (BRCD) Council Panel met to review progress across the decade-long investment programme.
Among the standout achievements featured in the BRCD annual report was the successful launch earlier this year of Studio Ulster and the CoSTAR Screen Lab, Ulster University’s flagship creative industries hub. These facilities are already delivering significant impact, positioning Northern Ireland as a global leader in real-time filmmaking, virtual production, animation, and immersive media.
Developed in partnership with Belfast Harbour and supported by Northern Ireland Screen, Studio Ulster is one of the most advanced centres of its kind in the world. It is transforming production workflows and shaping the future of screen content creation, while also delivering targeted training in high-demand skills such as Unreal Engine, motion capture, and volumetric video.
The CoSTAR Screen Lab, part of a UK-wide network funded by the UK Government, is embedded within Studio Ulster and supports research and development in virtual production technologies. Together, these initiatives are helping to build a skilled, future-ready workforce and drive inclusive growth across the region.
Ulster University’s contribution to the BRCD programme goes beyond infrastructure. The University has played a strategic role in shaping the region’s “skills for the future” agenda, completing sectoral assessments in virtual production and digital technologies, and delivering training pipelines aligned to industry needs. Studio Ulster is also actively widening participation, with a focus on disadvantaged youth and community engagement through initiatives such as the Big Bridge workshops.
Chair of the BRCD Council Panel, Councillor Ronan McLaughlin, praised the collaborative efforts of all partners:
“It’s incredible what can be achieved when we have a common vision, combined with resources, knowledge, energy and commitment. What the Belfast Region City Deal partners are delivering together is so much greater than what could be done individually.”
Ulster University was cited alongside other major BRCD projects, including Queen’s University Belfast’s iREACH Health, the UK Digital Twin Centre, and the upcoming i4C Cleantech Hub in Ballymena, reinforcing its role as a key anchor institution in the region’s innovation ecosystem.
With Studio Ulster now fully operational and delivering impact, Ulster University continues to lead the way in creative technologies, research excellence, and inclusive economic transformation.
