International feel at WIT as graduates set for conferrings

Almost 2,800 graduates will be conferred with academic awards at Waterford Institute of Technology over the next three days in colourful ceremonies at the Chapel on the Institute’s College Street campus.

The graduates, drawn from all 26 counties in Ireland and 18 other countries, will be conferred during one of the biggest indoor events held in the south-east each year.

Upwards of 10,000 people are expected to attend the conferring ceremonies from today until Friday.

The countries represented by 75 overseas graduates at the conferrings include Belgium, Canada, China, Congo, Germany, Denmark, Spain, France, Britain, India, Kenya, Latvia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Ukraine and the United States of America.

At 2,770, the number of graduates being conferred at WIT this week represents an increase of almost 40 per cent on the comparable figure for 2000 which was 1,999.

It also shows an increase of more than 230 on the 2003 figure.

Some 763 of the graduates are aged 25 or over with 180 of these aged 40-plus.

The Irish students graduating are drawn from across the State, including 726 originating from Waterford city and county; 521 from Wexford; 320 from Tipperary; 305 from Kilkenny; 142 from Cork and 88 from Carlow.