Application submitted for university in midlands and mid-west

A new technological university for the Midlands and Mid-West is on course for September 1 next year, following confirmation that the AIT-LIT Consortium has formally submitted its application to Government.

The institution is expected to comprise a student population of up to 15,000 and a staff complement of approximately 1,200 people across six campuses in Athlone, Limerick (2), Clonmel, Ennis, and Thurles.

The application for technological university status has been submitted to the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris.

The application seeks the dissolution of both institutes and the subsequent establishment of a new university.

The Minister said: “This is really welcome news. This is the third application to be made under TU legislation by a consortium of Institutes of Technology who are seeking to make the step-change to a new type of higher education institution.

“There is a formal legislative process to take place now but this is an exciting prospect for the Midlands and Mid-West and can be regionally hugely transformative.”

An economic impact study commissioned by the consortium has found that the combined impact of the two institutions on the Irish economy is close to €420m in economic output, while they support more than 800 jobs in addition to their own staff complement.

The consortium – which formally commenced in October 2019 – has targeted a date of September 1 next year for the new university to open and is today (Monday) also embarking on a broad consultation process to name the new technological university.

Academic unions in both AIT and LIT have voted overwhelmingly in favour of measures contained in the technological university project plan.

Commenting on the application, President of AIT Professor Ciaran Ó Catháin said: “This is a transformational development for the Midlands, and once it comes to fruition, it will provide significant social and economic benefit to communities across the region and beyond.

"Becoming a TU will broaden access to higher education and create opportunities in areas that have previously been underserved with respect to apprenticeships right through to PhD. I am immensely proud of the progress that have been made since the formation of the AIT-LIT Consortium a little over a year ago and of our staff, who have worked together in the spirit of common purpose to share knowledge and expertise. This has culminated in us reaching and surpassing the substantive TU metrics set out by Government and increasing our research capacity. Our commitment to our technological mission is resolute and will result in a talent pipeline of professionally and technically skilled graduates capable of propelling regional and national growth.”

President of LIT Professor Vincent Cunnane said: “We are on a pathway to deliver a unique new technological university that will cross regions and transcend geography. While this will be an institution of scale, it will retain the familiarity of local campuses across two significant regions. This enables us to act as a regional development powerhouse into the future, delivering education and research that will benefit students, educators, communities, business and industry in a strategic way.

"Our approach is based on partnership and consensus, and is indeed underpinned by consultation with staff, students and other stakeholders. The consortium has a strong set of shared values and a shared ethic that provides a firm foundation to deliver on our future strategy.”

Under the 2018 Act two or more Institutes of Technology may apply to the Minister for the making of an order granting TU status subject to their jointly meeting prescribed eligibility criteria.

TU Dublin was the first of this type of new higher education institution, which uniquely provides higher education programmes across all levels of the National Framework of Qualifications from apprenticeships to doctoral degrees, to be established in the State on 1 January 2019.

Subject to approval by the Houses of the Oireachtas the second TU in the State will be established on January 1, 2021 when IT Tralee and Cork IT are dissolved and the Munster Technological University is established serving the South-West region.

Further applications for TU status are expected from the Connacht Ulster Alliance, comprising the Institutes of Technology in Galway-Mayo, Sligo and Letterkenny, by the end of this year and from Institute of Technology Carlow and Waterford Institute of Technology by the end of next April seeking the establishment of a TU for the South East of Ireland.