The country's newest technological university is on course to be established next year with the merger of IT Carlow and Waterford IT.
Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris announced on Tuesday that an application to establish a technological university for the south-east has been assessed and will be established in 2022.
Students graduating in the current academic year will be the first to do so in the region with locally sourced university qualifications.
“This is a really exciting day for higher education in the south-east region, signalling the establishment next year of a multi-campus university presence across the region,” Mr Harris said.
He said the south east stands to benefit from increased access to higher education, enhanced regional development and more opportunities for students, staff, business and enterprise across Carlow, Kilkenny, Wexford and Waterford.
It follows a decades-long campaign in Ireland’s most populous region without a university.
The journey has been marked by division and distrust over the future status of the two institutions.
In recent times, however, leaders and staff of both colleges have forged a closer working relationship and submitted a joint application for technological university status last April.
The application from the Technological University for the South East Ireland consortium has since been assessed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) and an international advisory panel.
Mr Harris said the HEA will now seek to finalise remaining operational elements in line with the advice of the advisory panel in preparation for establishment next year.
Dr Alan Wall, chief executive of the HEA said he greatly welcomed the progress made by IT Carlow and WIT towards technological university status.
“We look forward to working with both institutions towards their designation as technological university in 2022,” he said.
The Department of Further and Higher Education will shortly be inviting expressions of interest for the roles of chairperson and two external members of what should become the first governing body of the new institution.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar TD said the university will make it easier for the IDA to secure foreign direct investment for the region and is sure to become an incubator for new Irish businesses, which will become major employers in their own right.
"University of Limerick had a transformative effect on the city and mid-west region. I believe the same can happen now in Waterford and the south-east," he said.
Mr Harris added that investment in this new university will continue with a new campus in Wexford and larger campus in Waterford.
“The footprint of this TU will be felt right across the region,” he said.
The Minister confirmed the decision at a meeting with the south-east Oireachtas representatives on Tuesday afternoon.
Fianna Fáil Senator Malcolm Byrne said it was a "hugely significant and long-awaited step" forward for the region.
“We now need to grow the multi-campus university so that it can further serve the South East as well as contributing to solving national and global challenges,” he said.
Welcoming the announcement of a technological university for the south east, president of IT Carlow, Dr Patricia Mulcahy, said the college was aware that it will be a “great challenge to realise the full potential of our new university and will involve significant effort from all our staff in the months and years ahead”.
WIT president Prof Willie Donnelly said future generations in the area will be empowered by a university degree while living at, or near, home.
“We have long promised we would deliver a university of international standing for the region. Thanks to the hard work and ambition of our staff and students, we are on the crest of creating the first university for the region.”
The move to create technological universities is part of what the Government describes as a “radical shift” in the higher education landscape.
It says technological universities have greater critical mass and capacity to meet local skills and build international links.
They will continue to offer a range of qualifications ranging from apprenticeships to PhDs.
There have, however, been concerns expressed among some staff over employees’ terms and conditions , while some in the university sector fear it will dilute available funding for research.
TU Dublin was the first to be created in recent years, followed by Munster Technological University and the Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest.
The Government confirmed last week that a technological university for the west and northwest is also on course to be established early next year.
It follows an application from the Galway-Mayo, Sligo and Letterkenny institutes of technology to come together to gain university status.
