Nothing of any worth can ever be expected to flourish in Londonderry. It is entirely right that jobs, wealth etc should be focussed on Belfast and the east of the province. Londonderry is a hellhole and should be discriminated against. Hopefully one day it will whither away entirely and die.

Aren't all Computer Science courses shite? What does it even mean? (I couldn't be bothered reading the link!)

"It is entirely right that jobs, wealth etc should be focussed on Belfast and the east of the province".

You are joking here, Chekov, I take it?

Just standing up for civilisation CW!

On a serious note - who would want to study in either Derry or Coleraine? It has always bemused me. Unless you live there and can't afford to go away or you're stufying part time?

This is going to sound terribly elitist...but so what

Labour decided in the nineties that every man and his dog should have the "right" to a university place (as opposed to actually working for it and earning it). Consequently very soon afterwards employers realised that unless your degree came from one of about six universities* in the UK, then it wasn't basically worth the scroll it was printed on.

A QUB (or Lancaster or University of East Angliadegree) in whatever subject is now regarded as the equivalent of an O level from 40 years ago. Particularly in subjects like IT those 3/4/5 years of study are wasted time- you'd be much better getting yourself a job and some cash at 18 and learning as you go along.



*I should probably point out here that I didn't go to any of those six universities either. and I'm not at all bitter

Bit of a difference between getting a university place (or even just a plain old college place since Im not elitist or anything) and actually coming out with a degree at the other end.

Unless of course theyve dumbed down the exams as well

I don't think most employers concentrate on were you get your degree, its what degree you have. If you come out of QUB with medicine then you will be a job. If you come out of Cambridge with Food Science, then you will work in Sainsburys or Tescos for the rest of your life.

It is bizarre. I remember reading in the 'Tele' not so long ago about these 2 girls who are managing the Waterfront Hall.
One had relevant qualifications and the other had a Masters Degree in Botany.
What use that one is to the Waterfront Hall is anybodys guess?
Maybe she weeds the flower baskets during the intervals:

"http://entrytoanirishmind.blogspot.com/"

The mind boggles. Thank god it's one of the more limited minds we're invited to enter. The island would be in trouble if this was typical.

A QUB (or Lancaster or University of East Angliadegree) in whatever subject is now regarded as the equivalent of an O level from 40 years ago. Particularly in subjects like IT those 3/4/5 years of study are wasted time- you'd be much better getting yourself a job and some cash at 18 and learning as you go along.

Complete balls. A QUB (or even, snigger, UU) degree is perfectly well respected in Ireland, North and South, and there are plenty of jobs floating about in the right sectors. In the UK, QUB has joined the Russell group, and the experience of friends that have left for London is the degree is fairly well respected. But they were in traditional degrees - law, Computer Science rather than bed selling.

In a sense I can understand the Government drive to widen access. More graduates and higher skilled people are needed. But in science, engineering and business, not Media Studies. They appear to have widen access int he wrong place.

Chekov, stop being a dick. I've be commenting on various blogs for over a year now, and on many different occasions you have launched a personal insult against me. In what way is my mind more or less limited than anyone else, including yourself. Why don't you comment on the content, admittelly currently limited, on my blog rather than trying to insult myself because of the title that I decided to use.

[I started it a month ago and I couldn't really be fucked adding my two cents to Bertie resigning and other than that it's been a slow month, hence the lack of topics]

Stumbled upon this old convorsation while looking up my time table for the university of ulster, Magee. While most of you seem to have fair points i think the top comment was a tad harsh. the university can speak for itself but i live in derry and i have to say it isnt a paradise. the clubs arent as big as belfast and we dont have an hockey stadium.
Ofcourse on the other hand it is relativly unexciting. in comparison to belfast (because it is in chekov's comment) i dont have to worry about being stabbed and robbed on the way home from work. ok there are some drugs floating about the bars but again its a big deal unlike belfast where you could near enough shoot up at the bar stool and no one gives it a second look.
So before you talk about derry withering(which by the way is just plain hateful) you should compare it to the rest of the north which is wriddled with more scum than you can shake a stick at.
peace out

I have been to Magee, and think it is one of the better staffed (academically at least) of the UU campuses. Its just my opinion based on the people who teach their and observations of the quality of work that come out of there, as well as the awards (25k awards, patents, etc.) they regulary win.

As for Derry City (or L'Derry - take your pick), like all places it has its highs and lows. I can find plenty of criticisms with Belfast, Coleraine, Dublin, etc. Horses for courses, I suppose.

As for the Comp Sci course - that is another personal preference. I often hear Arts (BA) courses referred to as the greatest waste of time save watching paint dry. As for Magee's Comp Sci course - again, I've seen the quality of work that comes out of there - and know it to be of a high standard. In fact, their recently added Games Development / Programming course is of particular strength with industry partners Emergent strongly supporting them.

thats just my 2 cents - I know it flies in the face of this article on almost all counts - but its my opinion based on professional observations.

-Indie.