Hopes for university campus in Kilkenny as Carlow IT and WIT finally merge
The South East’s first ever university will open its doors on May 1 next year.
Confirmation of the successful application for the Technological University of the South East (TUSE), which will merge IT Carlow with Waterford Institute of Technology, has been warmly welcomed by political, business and community leaders.
Local TD John Paul Phelan said the multi campus university brings “massive potential for the entire region”. And he added he hopes to see a TUSE campus in Kilkenny in the future.
Deputy Phelan said: “There have been many delays to this important project and I would now urge the Department of Further and Higher Education to work closely with both institutes, so that it can be accelerated in the coming months.
“The TUSE will increase student numbers, not to mention giving students from the locality greater choice for a top class third level education and locally-sourced university qualifications close to home. This will help to reduce the brain drain which has been so damaging in the past.”
The Carlow Kilkenny TD (pictured below) said the economic impact for the south east will be “enormous”, adding it will position the region for growth “on a scale that we could not have dreamed about twenty years ago”.
He added: “It will drive regional development and increase opportunities not only for students and staff but also enterprise and local communities across Carlow and Kilkenny.
“Through continued investment, I hope to see footprint of IT Carlow increase in the coming years as the TUSE develops. Today’s news is the culmination of a lot of hard work on the part of IT Carlow and WIT and I want to congratulate all involved.”
