Tuesday, 07.10.2008
Decision expected on Waterford's long-running bid for university status
WATERFORD Institute of Technology's application for university status is likely to be decided upon by the Government in the coming weeks. But Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe has warned the application raised "significant issues" regarding third-level policy and the roles played by universities and institutes of technology.
The matter was raised in the Dáil by Labour party TD Brian O'Shea. He asked for an update on Waterford's long-running bid to be re-designated as the University of the South-East.
Mr O'Shea's question followed a meeting last week between the mayors and council chairmen of the major local authorities across the south-east, when a call was made for a re-designation as soon as possible.
In response, Mr O'Keeffe said that he is in the process of meeting with WIT, along with representatives from two other institutes that applied for university status.
"I expect that consideration of the applications on hand will be finalised in the coming weeks," he said.
The minister also responded to expectations by saying that universities and institutes of technology have "distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and types of academic programmes, fulfil different roles in the community and have separate academic and governance structures."
Yesterday, Mr O'Shea called on the people of the south-east to make their views known in relation to the vital importance of securing university status for Waterford, "through every means available to them."
He said that the move by mayor of Waterford Jack Walsh to unite council leaders throughout the region was "most timely".
Meanwhile, WIT has won a coveted international languages award that recognises its innovative work in language teaching and in making European students feel at home on campus.
The Tandem Language Learning for Intercultural Communication project has received a 2008 European Award for Language. It was initiated by Dr Fionnuala Kennedy and Dr Áine Furlong in 2005. It promotes "meaningful intercultural dialogue" between full-time and visiting European students, Dr Kennedy said.
"The aims of the initiative are to encourage social interaction and collaboration between learners of different languages at WIT."
