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Technological Universities

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 November 2021

Tuesday, 30 November 2021

Ceisteanna (84, 93, 94)

Colm Burke

Ceist:

84. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities including the way that each fits with the strengths economically and otherwise of the region they serve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58573/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Ciaran Cannon

Ceist:

93. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities. [58568/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Fergus O'Dowd

Ceist:

94. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if he will report on the development of technological universities including the urgent need to progress TU status in the north-east; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58547/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 84, 93 and 94 together.

The development and progression of technological universities (TUs) is an established policy objective of Government in the context of overarching national strategy on higher education landscape restructuring and this is underscored in the commitment in the current Programme for Government.

At a time when the world is facing major challenges in areas such as climate change and COVID-19, the importance of higher education has never been greater. We will need to maximise our ability to produce talented and responsible graduates who can lead, innovate, create, inspire, and transform. We will need these graduates in every village, town, city, and region in Ireland if we are to achieve the ground-up community engagement required to succeed in a sustainable manner. The development of Technological Universities is a key development in this context and will prove to be transformative economically for our regions.

We are seeing strong early success with our TUs. In MTU the demand from CAO applicants has surged, with first-preference honours degree applications for MTU courses rising by more than 16%, almost twice the national average. In addition, the KTI Annual Knowledge Transfer Survey 2020 indicated that total research expenditure in MTU exceeded €22M.

As the largest provider of part-time education in the state, TU Dublin makes an important contribution to the socio-economic life of the capital, TU Dublin’s award-winning technology transfer and business incubation activity has delivered over 400 new sustainable businesses with an economic value of almost €700 million.

Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest, recently established in October, is a multi-campus university spread across six campuses throughout Ireland’s Midwest and Midlands region with more than 14,000 students enrolled in hundreds of courses across four counties.

In addition to the established TUs, on 28 October, I announced that I was granting TU designation to the CUA consortium of GMIT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT. The name agreed by the applicant institutes for the new Technological University for the West and North West region being established next year shall be the Atlantic Technological University (Ollscoil Teicheolaíochta an Atlantaigh) with 1 April 2022 envisaged as the date of establishment. This TU will be unique in its geographic situation in the West / North West which will enable it to further foster and deepen significant cross-border higher education and economic linkages.

On 2 November I announced that a TU in the South East is to be established next year, subject to finalisation of some remaining technical and operational matters. The HEA will play a key assessment role in this regard, reporting on final compliance. All parties are working toward the new university opening its doors by 1 May 2022.

These new TUs are increasing higher education access, boosting regional development, and increasing opportunities for students, staff, businesses, and local communities. TUs are now taking their rightful place in the higher education landscape, benefiting students right across the regions, and proving that higher education can deliver regional excellence, while also making the international ambitions of student, staff and communities a reality.

TUs play a leadership role in the strategic development of our regions, and, in so doing, will adopt a global outlook and a civic-centric value system. TUs anchor regional development while participating fully on both the national, and international, stages.

In September the HEA announced funding of €25.7million to relevant higher education institutions in support of either progression towards TU status or for the vital post-establishment development phase. This brings total funding under the Technological University Transformation Fund to €60 million with a further €30m still to be awarded next year to assist the development and progression of TUs.

In addition, €40 million is being allocated to a TU education and reforms project under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and my Department is also preparing a further TU oriented application under the European Regional Development Fund.

The 2 remaining standalone Institutes of Technology, Dundalk and Dun Laoghaire, that are not currently part of a TU development consortium, are striving to attain future TU status with the assistance of the HEA and material Transformation Fund support. It remains a matter for the governing bodies of autonomous Institutes of Technology as decide where they locate themselves on the higher education landscape.

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