On 1st August, 2007, Northern Ireland’s 16 colleges of further education merged to create 6 ‘super’ colleges which are larger, cover a more diverse area, and offer wider course ranges and better facilities to all their students. It is the most significant development in Northern Ireland’s 100-year history of further education. The introduction of these 6 new ‘super’ colleges in Northern Ireland has also been beneficial to Northern Ireland’s business sector since further education is now seen as critical in supporting business and industry in Northern Ireland. The 6 new ‘super’ colleges are:

Belfast Metropolitan College
North West Regional College
Northern Regional College
South Eastern Regional College
South West College
Southern Regional College

Higher education isn’t just about going to university, there are also plenty of local colleges specialising in higher and further education which offer courses in a range of subjects and disciplines at various levels designed specifically to train you for the workplace or help you advance onto the next level of higher education. Currently, 27 percent of all school leavers in Northern Ireland go on to one of these ‘super six’ colleges.

Colleges specialising in higher and further education offer many advantages. You are able to enter the college at different levels and work your way up the education ladder. Training programmes are designed specifically to help students gain the relevant experience and expertise to get a job in their chosen industry while the courses on offer are usually more diverse than those at universities in terms of the various different levels of qualifications available. For example, all ‘super six’ colleges offer programmes and qualifications starting at level 1 on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) right up to level 8. Whereas universities cater solely for students enrolling on a degree or diploma programme, the ‘super six’ offer a lot more options such as NVQs, GCSE’s, A-Levels and BTECS from level 1 right up to level 8 (e.g., BTEC Introductory Diplomas and Certificates, BTEC First Certificates and Diplomas, BTEC National Diplomas, and BTEC Professional Diplomas). In addition, they also cater for students wishing to do a foundation, bachelor or postgraduate degree.

Going to university isn’t always an option for everyone. Living far away from a university can often be a reason for people not to go, but with so many local further and higher education colleges now offering degree programmes there is no reason why you can’t do a degree near your home. It can also be a lot cheaper this way too.

These 6 ‘super’ colleges have larger budgets, enhanced facilities and a wider curriculum to benefit both students and teachers. The amalgamation of the previous 16 further education colleges into these 6 is intended to help the further education sector in Northern Ireland become a driving force for economic and workforce development. These 6 colleges have the capacity and resources to respond to the changing needs of business and industry in terms of skills and business development.

The Association of Northern Ireland Colleges (ANIC) was established in 1998 and acts as the central point for further and higher education and lifelong learning issues in Northern Ireland. ANIC provides information about higher and further education as well as helping to deliver lifelong learning and a world-class workforce. ANIC aims to be at the heart of lifelong learning in order to strengthen economic and workforce development, enhance social cohesion, and advance the skills, learning and development of individuals. Go to www.anic.ac.uk for further information about Northern Ireland’s 6 new ‘super’ colleges of further and higher education.

Further and higher education in Northern Ireland attracts one in three 16-17 year-old school-leavers and has 200,000 learners a year; it is Northern Ireland’s most integrated education sector and main skills provider, employing over 7,400 people. Outlined below is a brief synopsis of the range of courses, training programmes and facilities provided at the 6 new colleges for further and higher education in Northern Ireland.