External intervention needed if region is to ever get a university
SEN BYRNE SAYS A LACK OF COOPERATION BETWEEN WATERFORD AND CARLOW ITS HAS HAMPERED THE DEVELOPEMNT OF A UNIVERSITY OF THE SOUTH EAST
OUTSIDE intervention from the government is needed if Wexford secondary school students are ever to have the option of attending a university in their locality.
Speaking following the announcement that Cork and Tralee ITs are merging into the Munster Technological University, Senator Malcolm Byrne said the management of Carlow IT and Waterford IT have failed – over the past decade – to deliver a university of the south east, despite being provided with a €3.2m budget to do so.
Sen Byrne, who up until recently held the role of Head of Communications with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) said having a university in a region automatically leads to an economic boost, making it more attractive to international companies, while also providing education opportunity for students in counties like Wexford.
Sen Byrne said: ‘Co Wexford traditionally had among the lowest participation rates in third level of any county but we are now at average participation rates with just over 60 per cent of school leavers going on to higher education, and that doesn’t include students who go into PLC courses and training programmes. The issue has really been that this is the only region in the country that doesn’t have a university which has long been regarded as essential for economic growth.’
Sen Byrne said Irish universities are not only competing against one another, but also internationally, in what is a growing sector, generating millions for higher level institutes.
‘A plan was designed to facilitate a university for the south east. There was a process that would have provided for the ITs to come together and become a university.’
To meet the required standard and be awarded the title of a technological university, both technical colleges would have to prove to an international panel of inspectors that the quality of research and that their teaching are up to international standards.
‘This process started eight years ago. Yes it’s complex and it takes time, but Dublin Technological University came into being two years ago when the former DIT merged with Tallaght and Blanchardstown colleges. Cork and Tralee came together but Waterford and Carlow haven’t managed to. I don’t accept that they couldn’t have when Cork and Tralee ITs had arguably more obstacles to overcome, as did the Dublin university.’
Sen Byrne said when former HEA chairman Michael Kelly was appointed to progress the merger in 2015 he encountered ‘all sorts of difficulties’.
Ultimately it was agreed a Technological University of the South East could be opened for 2018. ‘There is cross party support for this. I asked a parliamentary question about this in the Dáil in December. There has been €3.2m provide for the process and it has greased the wheel to help this process to happen. I am not interested in apportioning blame, I just want Waterford and Carlow to come together as this is more important to the region than a university; it’s about economic development of a region that has been one of the regions that has not grown as quickly as other regions.’
He said: ‘Clearly there has been a lack of cooperation between the two and there has been a failure of leadership in the institutions. The management and staff need to get their act together to ensure that we have an application. To date Waterford and Carlow haven’t even made an application for a university of the south east.’
Sen Byrne said multi-campus universities are common across the world, adding that he can’t see any reason why the Waterford Carlow university can’t work, with branches in Wexford and other counties in the region.
‘Waterford and Carlow are both good institutions that have the potential to be an excellent university that not only serves the region but can develop specialities at national and international level. This needs to happen. The government and the HEA have made the process as clear as possible. Money has been allocated to allow this to happen. It’s about getting the institutions and banging their heads together.’
He said: ‘Waterford and Carlow are not capable of working together. To be able to do it then we are going to have at look at other options. I will be asking the new minister for education to look at it as some form of external international is needed. To not even have an application after eight years is crazy!’
Frank O’Regan, Chair of the Ireland South East Development Office and the Regional Enterprise Plan, said: ‘The creation of an industry engaged, ambitious and proactive multi-campus Technological University of international standing, that is adequately funded, remains the key component of the infrastructure required to drive sustainable regional economic and social development in the south east region. This is now even more important given the potential impact of COVID-19.’
I WILL BE ASKING THE NEW EDUCATION MINISTER TO LOOK AT IT AS SOME FORM OF EXTERNAL INTERNATIONAL IS NEEDED. TO NOT EVEN HAVE AN APPLICATION AFTER EIGHT YEARS IS CRAZY