Event Description
Hosted by the Integrated Education Fund (IEF) supported by NI Chamber and Ulster University, this invitation-only roundtable will bring together a small group of senior business leaders to explore the long-term economic implications of Northern Ireland’s education system. While the region has long been recognised for strong academic outcomes, emerging research from Ulster University highlights significant structural and demographic pressures, including declining pupil numbers, surplus school places, complex governance arrangements, and financial inefficiencies within a divided system. For business leaders, these challenges are not merely educational issues, they directly affect the future skills pipeline, labour market readiness, public spending priorities, regional competitiveness, and the development of cohesive, collaborative workplace cultures. Through a research-led discussion, participants will examine how system sustainability, social integration, and governance agility influence economic performance and workforce readiness in a 21st-century economy. The roundtable will provide an opportunity for business leaders to engage directly with leading researchers, explore what a sustainable and future-facing education model could look like, and consider how business leadership can support evidence-informed reform.
For more information contact katie@ief.org.uk
