About The Region
The North West City Region (NWCR) comprises Derry City and Strabane District Council Area and County Donegal and is the fourth largest urban agglomeration on the island of Ireland.
NWCR Mission
Talent – Opportunity – Partnership
The North West is exceptionally well placed as an investment hub for business and global companies seeking to establish a gateway to both the UK and EU markets. The region is renowned for its rich tourism, its culture and its heritage offerings, with an established reputation as a compelling investment proposition.
The North West is the perfect location for businesses to invest and grow. By offering significant cost advantages compared to the rest of Ireland, the UK and most of Western Europe, combined with value-adding benefits, the case for investment is clear and compelling.
UNESCO Learning City Initiative relaunched and expanded to form the North West Learning City Region.
Since Derry City and Strabane District Council joined UNESCO’s Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) in July 2019 under the title “Derry City and Strabane Region”, the aim has been to work towards extending this recognition to our wider North West partners in Donegal—strengthening our shared commitment to lifelong learning for all.
We are delighted that this vision has been realised in 2026. In partnership with the North West Tertiary Education Cluster, Derry City and Strabane District Council, and Donegal County Council, the UNESCO Learning City Initiative has been relaunched and expanded to form the North West Learning City Region.
To mark this milestone, the North West Learning City Region proudly presented an inspiring Lifelong Learning Festival, which took place across Derry~Londonderry, Strabane and Donegal on 4 and 5 March 2026. Featuring more than 40 free events, the festival celebrated the region’s vibrant learning culture, with opportunities spanning:
To celebrate this exciting development, a relaunch event took place in Ulster University Derry~Londonderry Campus, Great Hall on Wednesday 4 March 2026 from 6pm to 8pm.
This was an exciting evening of celebrating Lifelong Learning through stories, panel discussions, and performance. We also explored the future of the North West Learning City Region Initiative.
At the launch, we also hosted the opening lecture of the North West Learning City Region Initiative that focuses on 'Unlocking Creativity in the North West' delivered by Professor Declan Keeney, Co-Founder & CEO of Studio Ulster Ltd, Professor of Screen Technologies & Innovation at Ulster University and Director of the CoSTAR Screen Lab. Originally from Donegal, Declan shared his lifelong learning journey and his insights on unlocking creativity in the North West.
Download a video that was created from the relaunch and festival from the link below.