January will be a significant month for the Technological University for the South East.
That's according to the Higher Education Minister who addressed a breakfast briefing with Waterford Chamber this morning.
Simon Harris says the Governing authority and the identity of a chair will be decided at the start of next year.
The Minister says 'the train has left the station' on a University for the region:
"I genuinely believe that it will be a landmark year, a milestone year, a historic year for the south east and for Waterford in terms of higher education, because after decades of debate, false dawns, the train is now leaving the station.
Waterford and the south east is now getting a university and it's doors will open by the first of May 2022."
The University will also be able to access funding for student accommodation.
Minister Harris also made a commitment to explore the different possibilities around the topic;
"My officials at the most senior levels have begun discussions with the tech uni's and the soon to be tech uni's about the potential for student accommodation and how we can deliver on that.
My desire to deliver student accommodation with the new tech uni in Waterford and the physical expansion of the footprint of the university in Waterford so that it is physically bigger but also so that we will be able to accommodate more students."
