Over the past year the College - with campuses in Londonderry, Strabane and Limavady - has increased its overall numbers by a massive 1,333 students, including 563 full-time, 281 part-time and 489 evening students.
According to College Director Seamus Murphy and the Chair of the College's Board of Governors Bertie Faulkner a large number of those newly-enrolled students are travelling from Londonderry's Protestant heartlands of the Waterside.
"Already, I know for a fact, by both looking at our intake and our numbers this year, that it has gone through the roof," said Mr Faulkner.
"I mean, in the past, living in the Waterside, I knew a lot of Waterside students who would have travelled to Limavady.
"I wouldn't say that has dried up completely but it has dried up one hell of a lot. Recruitment is now proportionate," he added.
Mr Murphy affirmed this view saying Protestant pupils were now well-represented at the Strand Road campus.
"In terms of our total recruitment we're in balance for out catchment area," said the NWRC Director.
He said negative news stories regarding isolated sectarian incidents tended to exaggerate the extent of the problem.
"Of course, when you have a large group of 16-year-olds together you are going to have incidents. Not even sectarian incidents, but gang incidents.
"So there is always going to be that little issue when you are watching out for those. But by and large, in terms of school links, we have a very good relationship with all the schools in the city," said the NWRC chief.
Mr Faulkner said a lot of work has been done by schools in the Londonderry area at building cross-community links and sharing resources. He said NWRC was very much a pioneer of those efforts.
"I think that the Colleges work very hard at student links at second level. And I think that has given students a relationship with those lecturers as well. That is now being carried on, post-16, where there are more and more people coming across here now. That's very much a good news story," said Mr Faulkner.
Whilst accepting there is a perception that students from the Waterside would prefer to travel to Limavady rather than attend Strand Road, Mr Murphy indicated that this was an oversimplification of the reality.
"I think there is still a perception that students from the Waterside tend not to come over. I mean, I live in the Waterside as well, and there is a perception there," he admitted.
"There are some kids from the Top of the Hill, who won't cross the river either. It's not purely a sectarian thing. It's a Waterside versus Cityside dynamic. So it is not as clear cut as some people make out," he said.
The amalgamation of the North West Institute of Further and Higher Education (NWIFHE) with Limavady Institute of Further and Higher Education (LIFHE) has helped the situation and had resulted in both establishments increasing student numbers.
"Now that we are all one college, kids basically have the choice of going to whichever campus suits them. So there has been a drift back to here.
"What's happened now is that people who would have thought of going to Limavady have come here instead and numbers are growing here. Other areas where there was no competition between the two; the numbers are growing in both colleges," said Mr Murphy.
NWRC is closely involved with the Foyle Learning Community - an umbrella group made up of fifteen local colleges and chaired by David Funston Principal of Lisneal College.
"There is a lot of collaboration between those colleges," said Mr Faulkner. "Those schools are working very hard, with children from St Cecilia's coming in to Lisneal and pupils from Lisneal going across to St Cecilia's and to Foyle and St Columb's and St Mary's - this college has been pioneering that.
"To do that, has given the youngsters a confidence. There are challenges but you don't walk away from those challenges. You face them head on and work with them.
"I come into this College now and the number of students and kids that I see and talk to by name from the Waterside is incredible. I can't believe it when I walk around the campus."
Now is an exciting time for students and staff at the educational institution. A £17m investment at Strand Road is rapidly transforming the Londonderry skyline along the River Foyle and will result in new state-of-the-art facilities opening next autumn.
The new buildings at Strand Road and the adjacent Boating Club Lane will house Hairdressing and Beauty Therapy and Performing Arts and Music facilities including a brand new theatre space, as well as a new reception area and new Computing facilities.
The new investment will allow NWRC to move students back on campus from existing rented accommodation at the former City Factory in Patrick Street and in Christ Church, freeing up its budget for increased investment in services for students.
The development is the first phase of a £31m programme for the North West, which includes a development at the former Clondermot School site yet to take place. The first section is due to open next June with the rest ready for November/December 2010.
The striking new buildings will add to an ever-growing educational village stretching from the NWRC Northland Building at Asylum Road to the University of Ulster at Duncreggan Road.
Mr Murphy has a close working relationship with the current Provost of Magee College, Jim Allen. Both men share a joint vision of education in the North West.
"We tend to talk, city-wide, about an educational village staring at Asylum Road, right down to Duncreggan Road as one large campus with ourselves NWRC and the University.
"I'd want to see that developing further as well. We already have a shared library facility as well. We have our own library and the Magee library. We all share those resources. You can go into any one of them and if you're looking for a book in the other location you can have it transferred," he added.
Mr Faulkner said the new builds were creating a real buzz amongst student and staff who, he believes, deserve the best facilities available.
"Those lecturers and heads of department will be getting a real buzz when they see the facilities here that are going to be inside the campus rather than feeling isolated, away out in out-centres," he said.
"The professionalism and the commitment that all the lecturers have brought has been key in allowing us to up our numbers and in creating an environment that is welcoming," he added.
And as far as Mr Murphy is concerned students enrolling at NWRC next year can expect to avail of the best facilities and staff anywhere in the UK and Ireland.
"In terms of computing and the Creative Arts, which are strong in the North West, we are seeking to provide the most cutting edge facilities and training in those areas and for any young person with any aspirations in that area.
"We want to have the message that for progression in those areas you are going to get the very best training literally on these islands in terms of facilities and staff," he said.