Posted online: May 30th, 2008

The President of the Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) has dismissed suggestions by a Unionist MEP that the college’s proposed linkage with the University of Ulster Magee will lead to a drop in the latter’s standards.
Traditional Unionist MEP, Jim Allister, had said that the link-up could impact on the possibility of attracting more Unionist students to Magee and could be seen as a “downgrading of academic pursuit.” He was speaking about how to encourage more Protestant school-leavers to attend Magee.
Paul Hannigan, President of the LYIT, said that the notion that the link would impact negatively on Magee was not realistic.
“We are going into a strategic alliance with University of Ulster Magee to improve the capacity of our combined services and there will be no deterioration of standards. We have students who have done Honours Degrees right through to Masters Degrees and PHD’s. The link up will lead to a strengthening rather than a deterioration of standards.”
He said the MEP’s comments must have been made in ignorance of the system in the Republic of Ireland and extended an invitation for him to view the facilities in person.
“If he wants to come and visit us, he’s more than welcome.”