Munster Technological University

Munster Technological University (Irish: Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan) or MTU is a planned technological university (TU), which is proposed to begin operations in Cork and Tralee in Ireland in January 2021, the result of a merger between two institutes of technology, Cork Institute of Technology and IT Tralee.[1][3][4] Its creation was announced in May 2020.[1][3][4] It is expected to accommodate more than 18,000 students and over 2,000 members of staff.[4]

Munster Technological University
Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan
Other name
MTU
Former names
Cork Institute of Technology
Institute of Technology, Tralee
Established1 January 2021 (due to be established; announced 26 May 2020)[1]
Location
Cork, Tralee
,
Ireland
CampusBishopstown (Hub),[2]
Tralee, Ringaskiddy
Websitewww.mtu.ie

It is due to be Ireland's second technical university, after Technological University Dublin.[2]

Facilities

The Munster Technical University is planned to have six campuses, the former IT Tralee campuses in Dromtacker and Clash in County Kerry, and CIT's Bishopstown, Cork School of Music, and Crawford College of Art and Design locations, as well as the National Maritime College of Ireland facility in Ringaskiddy.[2][4]

Bishopstown campus
Panorama of the central circular courtyard

The main CIT campus, of approximately eighty acres, is situated in Bishopstown in the western suburbs of Cork city.[5] It has theatres, lecture rooms, laboratories, drawing studios, a library, computer suites, open access computing centre and research units. Recreational facilities for the expected student population include a running track, tennis courts, all-weather pitch, a gymnasium and grass playing pitches, while an indoor swimming pool is located nearby. The CIT campus has won awards for its architectural design and aesthetics.[6]

A new sports facility building is planned for the campus, with works proposed to begin sometime in 2020.[7][8]

Dromtacker campus

From 2016, IT Tralee had plans to grow the Dromtacker campus, so that the smaller Clash campus could be closed.[9]

History

Early plans for a technical university in the region included a three-way merger with Waterford IT which was examined in 2012.[10]

In building a proposal, the two institutions sought to offer a multi-campus institution spanning across Cork and Kerry, creating a second university in the region, and third in the province of Munster.[9][11][12] A formal application for T.U. status was lodged in February 2019.[13]

In May 2019, staff of CIT and IT Tralee rejected the merger,[14] and an international advisory panel visited the campuses.[15][16]

In 2019, Cork Institute of Technology refused to take on IT Tralee's financial debts.[17]

In May 2020, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the formal approval of the technological university, to potentially begin operations in January 2021.[3][1][4] The merger was welcomed by industry body Ibec.[18]

gollark: True, true. It'll technically *work* if you pick at random or something and nobody will be particularly surprised, but it'd be a nice-to-have.
gollark: Also, sometimes situations where you need to make subjective value judgements about items can occur, and so can loops.
gollark: It wouldn't be too hard to, I just generally don't.
gollark: It saves duplicating machinery and stuff.
gollark: Hmm, probably, but I do almost all my autocrafting with AE2 hookups.

References
  1. Casey, Jess (26 May 2020). "New technological university for Munster this week as greenlight expected for IT merger". irishExaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  2. Riegel, Ralph (26 May 2020). "Government confirms Ireland's newest technological university as Cork and Tralee IT merge together". Independent.ie. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. Graham, Breda. "Second university announced for Cork with green light given to CIT and IT Tralee consortium". echolive.ie. The Echo. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  4. Roche, Barry (26 May 2020). "Taoiseach confirms creation of new Munster Technological University". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  5. Hayes, Michael (14 December 2019). "9 things you'll only know if you went to CIT". Cork Beo. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  6. "2006 Best International Project". brick.org.uk. Brick Development Association. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  7. Healy, Alan (4 February 2019). "CIT building a new multifunctional sports arena at their Bishopstown campus". echolive.ie. The Echo. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  8. "Griffin Brothers awarded CIT Arena contract". www.irishbuildingmagazine.ie. May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  9. Lucey, Anne; March 26; 2016 (26 March 2016). "Central campus part of ITT plans to boost college". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2020.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. Brouder, Simon (3 October 2012). "Experts criticise IT's merger plan". The Kerryman. Retrieved 27 May 2020 – via PressReader.com.
  11. "Munster Technological University (MTU)". MTU.ie. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  12. Marren, Aisling (12 October 2018). "HEA Invests €800,000 in Four Institutes of Technology". The University Times. Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  13. "CIT and IT Tralee apply to become Munster Technological University". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 13 February 2019. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019.
  14. O'Brien, Carl (22 May 2019). "Munster Technological University bid suffers blow as staff reject latest plans". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  15. "Today we say farewell to the International Advisory Panel". www.facebook.com. Munster Technological University. Retrieved 26 May 2020 – via Facebook.
  16. Casey, Jess (23 July 2019). "Munster tech university deferred amid financial concerns and 'lack of clear vision and strategy'". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  17. Donnelly, Katherine (9 July 2019). "Another tech university project hit by wrangle over €26m issue". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2009.394. ISSN 0028-0836. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  18. "Ibec welcomes designation of Munster Technological University- IBEC". ibec.ie. Ibec. Archived from the original on 5 June 2020. Retrieved 5 June 2020.

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