TUS offers huge opportunity for midlands, says minister

Momentous, historic, pride, transformation and change – just some of the most common words used on Friday to hail the arrival of a university in the midlands.

Technological University of the Shannon: midlands Midwest, or TUS, was officially launched at a slick ceremony in the Athlone International Arena and the Millennium Theatre Moylish and was streamed to the six campuses that make up the new university.

The establishment of Ireland’s third technological university on October 1, and what’s billed as Ireland’s first transregional university, came about after Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris dissolved Athlone and Limerick Institutes of Technology and in their place, TUS was established.

It now comprises a student population of more than 14,000 and a staff of 2,000 working full- and part-time in Athlone, Limerick (Moylish and Limerick School of Art and Design), Clonmel, Ennis and Thurles.

The event also heard that TUS will position itself to provide access to the highest level of education, technology and research to a hinterland with a population of almost 850,000.

Presented in Athlone by Newstalk’s Shane Coleman, and in Limerick by RTÉ’s Petula Martyn, Friday’s ceremony featured speeches and video contributions from the students and staff in the six campuses, industry representatives, as well as the Minister of State for Skills and Further Education Niall Collins and inaugural TUS president, Vincent Cunnane.

Áine Daly, president, TUS Students Union – Athlone Campus, kicked off proceedings with a speech about the importance of educational access no matter where you come from and what challenges you face.

Growing up in a single parent family of five in a council estate in Mayo, and despite failing exams, Aíne made it to Athlone via a PLC to do social care, where she found great support.

Social anxiety was another “massive barrier” for her, but with help she found her tribe and got involved in the student union.

Hopeful her story will give hope that, regardless of background, you can access education and get involved, she appealed to students to use their voice, believe in themselves, use opportunities that come and reach out if they need support.

A former lecturer in Limerick IT and a Limerick native, Minister Niall Collins, said in his speech that there was a great sense of achievement and pride associated with a “momentous occasion”.

He thanked all who had the foresight to see what a TU could bring to the regions, in particular, the presidents of both institutes and the governing bodies who made it happen in a relatively short period of time.

“The beauty of this is that students will be able to undertake their course of study in their localities. They will not have to travel to Dublin, Cork, Maynooth or Galway.

“They will be provided with the highest quality campus facilities and learning environments and connected digital infrastructure that will enable them, within reason, to study how and where they choose,” he told the large attendance at the international arena in Athlone on Friday. The new TU will help, he explained, regional hubs and towns such as Athlone, Clonmel, Ennis and Thurles as well as Limerick city to benefit over time from more students, the retention and creation of skills by “acting as a catalyst for research and innovation and enterprise with a view to attracting further investment and regional and associated economic development”.

“They should attract significant additional investment, both indigenous and foreign direct investment.

“One of the first questions asked by would-be external investors is where is the local talent pool or how is industry linked to skills in the area. Those questions can now be answered with even more positivity than heretofore,” Minister Collins said.

The estimated economic impact for the midlands and midwest is approximately €420 million per annum or €450 per person in both regions.

Heading up the new TUS governing body is Josephine Feehily, who described the role as an “incredible privilege” and promised the crowd that TUS will be the best it can be in terms of being agile, open, diverse and combating disadvantage.

Prof Vincent Cunnane said: “We transcend geography, we are in the unprecedented position to provide higher education in all its forms. That will include apprentices, Level 6, Level 7, Level 8, 9 and 10,” Mr Cunnane said as part of a wide-ranging address, though at times he battled to be heard over the pounding rain on the roof. “We don’t judge students coming in to us, but judge them when they leave. When they do leave, they are industry ready – they are ready to take their place in society,” he said. Prof Cunnane also paid a warm tribute to Prof Ciarán Ó Catháin’s dream of having a university in the midlands, a dream that has now become a reality, and his legacy that will much longer.