Higher education and its commitment to community engagement was one of the main topics of discussion at a recent meeting in St Mary’s University College involving representatives of Sinn Féin and the Falls Road based institution.
The College Principal, Professor Peter Finn, welcomed the Sinn Féin delegation and outlined the extent to which community engagement is part of the mission of St Mary’s. He provided Martin McGuinness MLA with information on events such as the West Belfast Partnership Easter School, Féile an Phobail and the Michaela Foundation Summer Camp. Professor Finn also took the opportunity to thank Paul Maskey MP and his colleagues for their role in the successful campaign to overturn the proposal of the Alliance Minister Stephen Farry MLA on funding for the College. This would have made the College not viable. He also highlighted the commitment of St Mary’s to the task of widening access and participation of people from disadvantaged communities to higher education and sought support for measures that would ensure the College’s long-term sustainability in the heart of West Belfast.
At the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis in Wexford back in February 2014 the following motion was passed by the party.
This Ard Fheis supports the right of St Mary’s University College to have the autonomy and government support it requires to promote its mission of academic excellence, teacher education, Irish-medium education, access to higher education for disadvantaged groups and community engagement.
The funding of higher education in the north is likely to be one of the first major issues that the new Executive at Stormont will have to address after the May 5 Assembly elections.
Martin McGuinness MLA is welcomed to St Mary’s University College by the
College Principal, Professor Peter Finn.
Front row, from left to right: Jennifer McCann MLA, Martin McGuinness MLA, Professor Peter Finn, (Principal).
Back row: Fra McCann MLA, Paul Maskey MP, Jake Magill (student teacher at St Mary’s),
Rev Dr Paul Fleming (Senior Tutor at St Mary’s).