University status for Waterford edges closer

WATERFORD Institute of Technology (WIT) should be able to apply to become a technological university by early next year, as a result of political moves to speed up the process after the recent TalkTalk job losses.

The Higher Education Authority (HEA) had previously indicated the criteria for the establishment of a technological university (TU) sector would not be published until the third quarter of 2012.

But it confirmed yesterday — as reported by local TDs last week — that the timeline had been brought forward at the request of Education Minister Ruairi Quinn.