New university in midlands and mid-west as Limerick and Athlone ITs merged

The ITs in Athlone and Limerick will merge to form the third Technological University to be created since 2019, the Minister for Higher Education announced today

LIT's Enterprise and Research Centre in Clonmel, Co Tipperary. File picture: Dan Linehan

Munster is set to gain another university as Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology have been granted Technological University (TU) status.

The ITs in Athlone and Limerick will merge to form the third TU to be created since 2019, the Minister for Higher Education announced today.

It will be the fourth university in Munster after UCC, UL and Munster Technological University - which was established last January with the merger of CIT and IT Tralee.

Simon Harris said that the announcement is “another hugely important day for higher education in Ireland and, in particular, for the Midlands and Mid-West regions”.

Mr Harris said in a statement: “This new technological university designate will increase higher education access, drive enhanced regional development and increase opportunities for students, staff, business and enterprise, and local communities.” 

With Mr Harris granting the colleges TU status today, the next step will be to bring a draft order to the Houses of the Oireachtas establishing what day the new technological university will be legally established and Athlone and Limerick ITs consequentially dissolved.

Both Houses will need to approve the order.

Mr Harris said that the new TU “will now take its rightful place in the higher education landscape in the country’s heartlands”.

“The new higher education institution of increased scale and reach will benefit the students and communities of Westmeath, Limerick, Tipperary, Clare and Offaly to name but some of the counties which will be served by the new university.” 

Students graduating in the 2021-2022 academic year from Athlone and Limerick ITs will do so with university qualifications.

The CEO of the Technological Higher Education Association (THEA) welcomed the announcement praising both institutions ambition.

“Today marks another significant landmark in the evolution of the Irish higher education landscape as the number of Technological Universities rises to three and we have seen the application submitted by Waterford and Carlow and expect positive news in that respect,” said Dr Joseph Ryan.

“Both AIT and LIT have successfully demonstrated that they have the ambition, the record, and the capacity to achieve Technological University status.

“This new multi-campus institution will drive economic, social, and cultural development in the Midlands and Midwest regions. It is ideally positioned to drive economic recovery in the region, to stimulate education and skills provision, and to equip new and existing students with the skills and opportunities that they will need to succeed in the Covid and post-Covid world.