Today, the Minister for Education, Simon Harris approved a new Technology University for the Irish midlands and mid-west. This approval is based on an application submitted by Athlone and Limerick IT.
‘This is a major day for higher education, but it’s also a major day for this region in our country. We’re now going to see a Technological University servicing the needs of the region. This will provide greater access to a greater range of programmes and qualifications, right up the National Qualifications Framework.’
This is the third TU to be created since 2019. The first TU in the history of the state, TU Dublin, was established on 1 January 2019 followed by the second, Munster Technological University or MTU (formerly Cork IT and IT Tralee) on 1 January 2021.
The decision to create a new TU for the midlands and mid-west is part of the government’s agenda to follow the recommendations contained in the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 published in 2011. The goal of this report is to create an ‘Irish higher education sector that can successfully meet the many social, economic and cultural challenges that face us over the coming decades…’
The latest application for TU designation was submitted by the TUSEI consortium of Waterford IT and IT Carlow to the Minister on 30 April and an application from the Connacht Ulster Alliance of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT is anticipated soon. Both Dundalk IT and IADT Dun Laoghaire are working on trajectories to achieve TU status with the continued assistance of the Transformation Fund with technical advice and support provided by the Higher Education Authority.