Helen Brand, OBE, chief executive of ACCA has said that Ulster University’s £250m investment in a Belfast campus is the single, most important investment in retaining talent in Northern Ireland and growing the economy due to the considerable rise in student mobility.

Speaking at the Ulster University Accounting Symposium as part of the Business School’s 40th Anniversary celebrations today, Helen Brand said, “The face of education has transformed radically over recent years and the University’s investment in higher education plays a crucial role in supporting the growth and development of the City.

“The new state of the art teaching and learning facility will be very attractive for students and will be an excellent learning environment whilst playing a vital role in helping to keep the talented young workforce in Northern Ireland by equipping them with the high level skills needed to remain competitive in the global economy.

“With students becoming increasingly mobile and the learning landscape revolutionised by much wider access to university education, we are witnessing a sea change in the rise and growing acceptance of studying anytime and anywhere. An increasing number of young people are spending their time online, up to 21.6 hours per week in Northern Ireland (OFCOM 2015), and the ever-growing mobile landscape represents new opportunities for learners both inside and outside the classroom.

“ACCA research* shows that 90 per cent of professors and employers believe technology will promote the growth of new business models for business education and business schools will need to develop flexible degrees that allow students to mix work and study. The Ulster University Business School’s new Pathways Degree is playing a pivotal role in helping to provide blended learning options for young people by offering both full time and part time study programmes,” concluded Helen Brand.

Alan McGonigle, ACCA Ulster Members’ Network Chairman said, “There are numerous opportunities that exist here in Northern Ireland; in particular we know first-hand the adaptability and flexibility that the accountancy profession has to offer. With three quarters of CEOs now stating that skills shortages are the greatest threat to their business**, we want to attract talented young people to the accountancy profession and help them to understand what accountants do, how they are trained and the array of jobs that are available.“We must ensure that we hold onto our highly skilled students to support growth, build the economy and deliver more knowledge based revenue streams.”

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For further information please contact:

Katrina Frazer or Shane Finnegan at Aiken PR on 028 9066 3000

Notes to Editor*ACCA Research: See The Future 2014**PWC UK Report: People Strategy for the Digital Age June 2015

About ACCAACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) is the global body for professional accountants. It offers business-relevant, first-choice qualifications to people of application, ability and ambition around the world who seek a rewarding career in accountancy, finance and management.ACCA supports its 178,000 members and 455,000 students in 181 countries, helping them to develop successful careers in accounting and business, with the skills required by employers. ACCA works through a network of 95 offices and centres and more than 7,110 Approved Employers worldwide, who provide high standards of employee learning and development. Through its public interest remit, ACCA promotes appropriate regulation of accounting and conduct relevant research to ensure accountancy continues to grow in reputation and influence.Founded in 1904, ACCA has consistently held unique core values: opportunity, diversity, innovation, integrity and accountability. It believes that accountants bring value to economies in all stages of development and seek to develop capacity in the profession and encourage the adoption of global standards. ACCA’s core values are aligned to the needs of employers in all sectors and it ensures that through its range of qualifications, it prepares accountants for business. ACCA seeks to open up the profession to people of all backgrounds and remove artificial barriers, innovating its qualifications