Statement from Dr Joseph Ryan, Chief Executive, Technological Higher Education Association. “We are delighted to welcome Professor David FitzPatrick as inaugural president of Ireland’s first technological university, TU Dublin, which comes into being on 1 January. This is a signal day for Irish higher education and for the technological higher education sector in particular. Professor FitzPatrick will have the full support of the THEA Board and executive team and we look forward to continuing to support the work of all our institutes including our other consortia of higher education institutions as they progress TU applications in Munster, the south-east, and Connacht/Ulster.”