Unite’s officer with responsibility for the union’s membership at the University of Ulster, Sean Smyth, has condemned the NI Executive budget which he claims has forced brutal cuts on the Higher Education sector and made necessary nearly 200 job losses.

These cuts also include the loss of 1,250 students places and 210 jobs.

The BBC is reporting this morning that Ulster University is to close its School of Modern Languages in Coleraine as a result of budget cuts.

The biggest casualty is the school of modern languages, which has about 20 staff. Other subject areas affected will be interior design, marine science, computing, maths and business management.

While it costs UU £14 million a year to maintain its multiple campuses, there is no consideration being given to closing any of them aside from the planned relocation of many Jordanstown courses to the expanded “art college” campus in Belfast.

“We can not absorb further cuts so now more than ever, we must be decisive”. Each campus will now have specific sectoral alignments, essentially becoming centres of expertise.

“We must strengthen our focus on the sustainable delivery of high-quality teaching and world-leading research that produces graduates with industry-ready, relevant skills that benefit business and society”.

The University said a number of factors were taken into consideration in determining where the cuts would impact – including student demand, attrition rates, student satisfaction, employment statistics and research performance.

The cuts in funding from the Northern Ireland executive will have “far reaching consequences for our young people and our local economy”, Professor Nixon added.

Despite the effects the closure have on staff, Mr Nixon looked to the future and said it was an opportunity for the university to reinforce its position as it looked to grow.

Universities Minister Stephen Farry said that the prospect of an expansion at Magee is now further down the agenda.

He said: “It isn’t that long ago since we lost the German Department in Queen’s University”.

Colum Mackey, president of the the university’s students’ union, said the Executive had “failed to prioritise higher education”.

Robin Swann, an Ulster Unionist member of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the chair of its employment and learning committee, said that the closure of the modern languages department would be particularly damaging.

“Ulster University’s forced decision is pulling the rug from beneath us”.

Independent Coleraine MLA, Claire Sugden, said she was very disappointed about the news of more job losses.

They come after Ulster University saw its budget from the Department of Employment and Learning reduced by 10%.

“The short-sightedness of Stormont policies is exemplified by the fact that the cuts will force the closure of the Modern Language School in Coleraine”.

“In cutting higher education the Executive is failing a generation of young people”.

“I am calling on the local political parties to get back to the task of tackling the real issues facing all our people, by standing together in opposition to Tory austerity and in defence of our front-line public services and the welfare state”.