Ireland is to get a brand-new university in two weeks’ time, when Munster Technological University (MTU) comes into existence on 1st January. Created from an amalgamation of Cork Institute of Technology (CIT) and the Institute of Technology Tralee (IT Tralee), MTU will be the country’s second technological university, after TU Dublin was established almost two years ago.

Fórsa, which represents a large number of staff in the two institutions, has welcomed the merger.

Chair of the union’s higher education branch, Gina O’Brien, said MTU would provide substantial opportunities to both students and staff, allowing them to progress and develop their careers.

“The technological university sector presents significant opportunities for research, development and innovation. With the creation of TU Dublin last year, MTU marks another success on the path towards an enhanced higher education sector in Ireland,” she said.

Fórsa has been deeply engaged in the process to establish MTU and is looking forward to continuing this work on further mergers with Carlow and Waterford institutes of technology, Athlone and Limerick institutes of technology, and the Connacht/Ulster alliance of Letterkenny, Sligo and Galway/Mayo institutes of technology.

It was announced last week that Professor Maggie Cusack will become MTU’s inaugural president, the second-ever woman to be appointed president of an Irish University.

MTU will be Cork’s second university and Kerry’s first. Students can avail of over 140 programmes and courses across six different campuses in the two counties. The university will have 18,000 students and is expected to grow significantly in the coming years.

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