Empey welcomes US partnership opportunities

Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, today welcomed representatives from Westfield State College, Massachusetts to Northern Ireland

The Minister met with a delegation led by Dr. Robert Hayes, Vice President of Academic Affairs at the College, as part of a four day visit aimed at exploring the opportunity of developing partnerships with Northern Ireland’s higher education institutions.

Westfield State College is a coeducational, comprehensive public college located in Massachusetts with an enrolment of over 5,500 undergraduate and graduate level students. The College places a strong emphasis on offering students the opportunity to study abroad through exchange programmes, and hopes to enter into such exchange agreements with other institutions around the world including the UK and Ireland.

Welcoming the delegation, Sir Reg said: “My Department continues to recognise the importance of the internationalisation of higher education. We are actively seeking to promote the development of an internationally competitive higher education sector, accessible to all and which meets the needs of the Northern Ireland economy. It is increasingly important, during periods of economic pressure, that every opportunity is taken to develop international partnership opportunities and links for the mutual benefit of the higher education institutions on both sides of the Atlantic.

“My Department, therefore, remains committed to promoting and encouraging strategic partnerships and opportunities for international collaboration and mobility in the tertiary education sector. I welcome Westfield State College’s interest in seeking to develop partnership opportunities in Northern Ireland and wish them every success.”

Note to editors:

1. Westfield State College is a progressive liberal arts college which is located in Westfield, Massachusetts. The College is a four year, coeducational, comprehensive public college offering traditional liberal arts and contemporary programmes such as criminal justice, homeland security, education and business.
2. The Westfield State College delegation is visiting Northern Ireland from 25-28 May to explore the opportunity of developing partnerships with academic institutions in the province. The schedule includes meetings with Queen’s University Belfast, University of Ulster, Stranmillis University College and St. Mary’s College.
3. All media enquiries should be directed to the Department for Employment and Learning Communications Branch on 028 9025 7872. Out of office hours please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.