“Today is another significant landmark in the evolution of the Irish higher education landscape as we see the designation of two of our member Institutions, CIT and IT Tralee, as Ireland’s newest Technological University. Home to more than 18,000 students across six campuses in Cork and Kerry, this new University will drive economic growth across the entire region of Munster and beyond. With our newest President, Professor Maggie Cusack at the helm, it will have the scale, capacity and leadership to increase greatly research and innovation activity and to enhance the already existing relationships with industry in for the benefit of the future economic and social development of the south west.
“We look forward to 2021 as the year when we will see further enhancement in higher education, with expected developments around the designation of Technological University status on LIT and AIT in the midlands and mid-west and the Connacht-Ulster alliance between GMIT, IT Sligo and LYIT. We also anticipate that the south-east partnership between WIT and IT Carlow will progress quickly and look forward to a positive outcome for the region.
“We also welcome the support of the new Department of Further and Higher Education Research Innovation and Science in the additional financial supports that have been put in place in order to enable Institutes of Technology to achieve TU status and to further develop their capacity beyond designation. The technological higher education sector is the key driver in eliminating economic disadvantage as a barrier to entry to higher education and we look forward to recognising this as we work with the new Department in bringing the ongoing question of sustainable funding for higher education to a close in 2021.”
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For further information please contact:
Róisín O’Connell, Head of Communications: (087) 9193333; roisin.oconnell@thea.ie
