Today is a day of new beginnings for the south east of Ireland as the region’s first university officially comes into existence.
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Simon Harris officially signed the order under the Technological Universities Act 2018 to establish South East Technological University (SETU) on the first day of May.
The minister said: “This really is a red letter day for the south east. Now for the first time a university stands in the south east. This new university can build on the enormous strengths of both institutes and really put a mark on the quality of higher education, employment, enterprise and skills creation, expanded research, socio-economic and regional development in the vibrant South East. The new university will be building on and with very firm foundations."
The governing body of SETU met today for the first time and ratified Prof Veronica Campbell as SETU’s first President.
Prof Campbell said “We are ambitious for our new university and for our region. We want to become a leading European technological university, transforming lives, and driving growth through excellence in learning, research, collaboration and innovation. SETU will play a pivotal role in regional development, attracting talent, inward investment and research opportunities to the south east”.
For the first time, the south east now has its own university, allowing students from the region to live at, or near to, home while pursuing an incredible breadth of courses up to doctorate level”.
SETU has evolved out of the institutes of technology at Waterford and Carlow and brings together over 50 years of experience in higher education, research, innovation and stakeholder collaboration.
