AN Taoiseach Leo Varadkar TD, Minister for Education and Skills Joe McHugh TD and Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor have today announced that the consortium of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and Institute of Technology Tralee (ITT) is set to become a Technological University.
Munster Technological University (MTU) will be officially established in January 2021 and will be Ireland’s newest technological university.
Bob Savage, chair of CIT’s governing body welcomed the announcement and the opportunities Munster Technological University creates for the region.
‘This is a monumental day in the histories of both CIT and ITT. Acting together, CIT and ITT have built on our individual strengths, our extensive experience and passion for education and entrepreneurship to create MTU. Our collective staff, students, and stakeholders have been instrumental in bringing us to this day. Together, we now look forward to the future and the creation of MTU in 2021; a new University for a new era.’
Mr Lionel Alexander, chair of IT Tralee’s governing body, stated that the two institutes share an ethos of excellence, an ambition to serve the needs of our communities, and a vision of higher education provision that is innovative, responsive, entrepreneurial and forward-looking. The new technological university will grow from the foundations laid down by CIT and ITT. MTU will be the first regionally-based technological university in Ireland. Our ambition is to have a lasting positive impact economically, socially and culturally on the south-west region and beyond; and our values will guide our relationships with students, with staff, our partners and the wider community of stakeholders.’
The Munster Technological University (MTU) will be formally established next year, on 1st January 2021.