evidence: 'More than a third of students leave Northern Ireland at 18; we cannot afford to lose such talent - but they'll only return if there are opportunities' [...] Northern Ireland, as a result of that, lost 2,250 student places - that's over 10% of the total undergraduate student places. Some 38% of students have to leave Northern Ireland at the age of 18, that's a really serious situation for any society because, in particular, your most talented people are leaving. You do want people to leave and come back - people only come back to where opportunities sit.