The University of Ulster has announced that it is spending a total of �200m on new buildings and facilities.

Vice Chancellor Professor Gerry McKenna said the building programme had already started and is to be spread over the next five or six years.

According to the university, this is the largest investment programme in the history of higher education in Northern Ireland.

The project features a wide range of new academic and recreational facilities.

These include a centre for engineering and informatics at Magee College in Londonderry; a sports institute at the university's Jordanstown campus, outside Belfast and a bio-science research centre at its campus in Coleraine, County Londonderry.

Fifth campus

A �30m re-development of the old art college at York Street, Belfast is likely to go ahead as a joint project with the private sector.

The huge investment also includes �70m for a new campus in west Belfast, which was given the go-ahead in February.

Known as the Springvale Educational Village, it is to be the university's fifth campus in the province, with places for up to 4,500 students.

Also included in the investment, is �10m for further development at Magee College in Londonderry.

The university has raised half of the �200m and has said it is confident of being able to raise the rest of the money over the next five or six years.