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Belfast Live
Belfast Live
National
Brendan Hughes

Ulster University denies Magee campus name change after telling staff to use 'Derry-Londonderry'

Ulster University has denied its Magee campus has been renamed after telling staff to only use "Derry-Londonderry".

Marketing materials will focus on the "geographical location", the university said.

But it argued this did not amount to a name change for Magee because "Ulster University" remains the overarching brand for all its campuses.

Read more: Ulster University clashes with Infrastructure Minister over Belfast campus road safety fears

"Derry-Londonderry" has appeared to more frequently be used by the university in public communications and on its website to refer to the Magee campus.

In correspondence seen by Belfast Live, some staff have been told to no longer refer to the campus as "Magee" and instead use "Derry-Londonderry".

The apparent shift contrasts with a 2021 promotional video for Magee which does not use "Derry-Londonderry" at all over the course of four minutes.

When asked about the matter, Ulster University denied there had been a name change - but did not use the term "Magee" in its response.

"There has not been a renaming of the university's campus in Derry-Londonderry," a spokeswoman said.

"We are a unitary institution, constituted under the name of University of Ulster and 'trading' under the name of Ulster University.

"We have multiple campuses and as such, we use the place as a campus identifier for each of our locations in our brand and marketing materials."

On potential cost implications, she said: "Campus modifications, including signage to update wayfinding, is a constant process. No additional cost is anticipated by any evolution of our branding and marketing stance."

Asked why staff have been asked to no longer use "Magee" and instead use "Derry-Londonderry", she added: “Staff are free to refer to the campus by whichever designation they wish.

"Marketing, and associated materials, will emphasise the Ulster University brand and the geographical location of the campus.

"No name change has taken place. The institution is University of Ulster, using the brand of Ulster University. The nomenclature of Ulster University's campus in Derry-Londonderry is entirely compatible with this position."

The Magee campus gained its name from Martha Magee, who bequeathed a sum of money to the Presbyterian Church of Ireland in the mid-1800s to found a college for theology and the arts.

Last month, the Irish government awarded €44.5million from its Shared Island Fund for a major investment at the Magee campus to build a new 5,000 metre squared teaching and student services building.

Neither the Irish government nor Ulster University's press releases marking the announcement used the word "Magee".

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