The Higher Education Minister says it is vital that the South East is no longer the only region without a university.
Simon Harris has appointed the former Higher Education Authority chief executive Tom Boland to help accelerate progress for the Technological University for the region.
Mr Boland will head a consortium containing members of staff of IT Carlow and Waterford IT.
Minister Harris says the region will benefit from a university status:
"It is absolutely vital that we have a technological university for the South East. It is the only region in the country that does not have a university.
"It has some very good Institutes of Technology in Carlow and Waterford but it is really time now that we accelerate the plans for the delivery of a university for the South East."
