GMIT to anchor Ireland’s biggest uni

GMIT is set to be the centre of Ireland’s biggest university, after new plans for a merger between five institutes of technology were revealed this week.

A steering group, comprising the presidents and senior staff of Athlone IT, Dundalk IT, Galway-Mayo IT, Letterkenny IT and the Institute of Technology, Sligo, has been formed to investigate the establishment of a technological university.

Discussions are understood to be at an advanced stage and would see the proposed Border Midlands West Technological University become the largest higher education institution in the state with 27,000 students.

Speaking following the announcement, President of GMIT Michael Carmody said that the BMW TU would have a positive effect on both prospective students and local businesses.

“A BMW TU will be much more attractive to students, since it may involve joint programmes between campuses, thereby achieving a deeper level of engagement with local businesses. There is also the possibility of greater levels of specialisation within programmes, giving students a broader range of options. A key part of our current discussions is about creating a coherent framework of programme provision across the five institutions,” he explained.

Dundalk IT President Denis Cummins added the focus of the new university would be to serve the needs of the region and provide a boost to the local and national economy.

“How a BMW TU will best serve the needs of this region is at the heart of our discussions. Research and innovation that supports indigenous and multinational industry will be central to its operation, which will be a catalyst for job creation. This will build on our substantial track record of supporting enterprise.”

Criteria for the establishment of a technological university are due to be published by Minister for Education Ruairí Quinn in February but the plans have already come under fire from Chief Executive of the Irish Universities Association, who was quoted this week as saying it would not serve the country well to have a new range of universities that did not “walk, talk or act” like universities.

NUI Galway President James Browne was unavailable for comment on the announcement when contacted by the Galway Independent.