University status will ‘rock region’

UNIVERSITY status for Waterford Institute of Technology is on the way and will “rock the region”, according to institute director, Professor Kieran Byrne.

In his strongest statement to date on the issue, Professor Byrne appealed to more than 200 business leaders and decision makers — gathered for a conference in Waterford — to make achieving university status for the growing college their key priority.

“University status will rock the region. It will rock other regions. Not only will it be the cutting edge, but the glue that will hold the region together in terms of sustained economic development,” Prof Byrne said.