From Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
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Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Patrick O’Donovan today gave Munster Technological University the green light to move forward to the next stage of appointing an Executive Management Team.
This will see the open recruitment of a further five senior positions to complete the executive management team within the university.
MTU can now progress senior appointments into key areas such as managing people and culture, engagement with regional and international engagement, business, science and informatics.
Minister O’Donovan said:
“I am delighted to announce that Munster Technological University can from today progress to appoint the second phase of leadership roles following the successful appointment of six posts to date at Vice President or Faculty Dean levels.
“The successful applicants will emerge from competitive and open recruitment processes to perform the vital functions of leading, managing and the continued development of this innovative sector. These appointments will at Vice President or Faculty Dean levels.
“The roles of senior executives will involve working across multiple campuses and will be critical in fulfilling the regional mission of Technological Universities, a mission that the founding TU Presidents have been tirelessly working towards to ensure balanced regional development.
“Balanced development which will directly benefit regional industries and communities is a goal firmly embedded in the new draft Programme for Government and one that we are fully committed to bringing to fruition through support for this innovative sector.
“I would like to recognise the leadership shown by MTU President Professor Maggie Cusack since her appointment.”
MTU President, Professor Maggie Cusack, said:
“MTU welcomes the approval to commence recruiting the remaining five posts on our new University Executive.
“These are key roles that will help us achieve our strategic goal of being a leading university regionally, nationally and internationally.
“Last year we recruited the first six Executives to our new University Executive and are seeing immediate results with our new Faculties taking shape and strategic leadership in the areas of Governance, Research and Academic Affairs.
“MTU is a close-knit and welcoming community, and the remaining appointees will join a university committed to helping each and every one of our students reach their full potential.”
Additionally, today Minister O’Donovan also announced sanction for similar teams for three of Ireland’s five Technological Universities:
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science along with the Governing Bodies of the TUs have been engaging closely to secure sanction for these senior management teams.
Following the passage of the Technological Universities Act 2018, a network of 5 TUs was established across the country spanning 25 campuses creating the infrastructure and potential to bring the advantages of university-driven applied skills and innovation to communities across the country. In order of establishment, these TUs are:
1. Technological University Dublin (TU Dublin) (January 2019);
2. Munster Technological University (MTU) (January 2021);
3. Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) (October 2021);
4. Atlantic Technological University (ATU) (1 April 2022); and
5. South East Technological University (SETU) (1 May 2022)
Additionally, on 1 November 2023, St. Angela’s College, Sligo was incorporated into ATU, the first such incorporation under an amendment to the TU Act 2018 introduced via the HEA Act 2022.
Established on 1st January 2021 upon the dissolution of Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee, Munster Technological University (MTU) was the second technological university established in Ireland with six campuses across Cork and Kerry:
Munster Technological University supports a diversity of learners on courses right across the National Framework of Qualifications from Levels 6 to 10, apprenticeships to doctoral degrees. Munster Technological University launched its inaugural Strategic Plan Our Shared Vision 2022-2027 on 3 October 2022.
Professor Maggie Cusack is the inaugural President of Munster Technological University. She was previously Professor of Biomineralisation at the School of Geographical and Earth Sciences at the University of Glasgow.
With the establishment of SouthEast Technological University in 2022, the first establishment phase of the Technological University Agenda was completed. Currently, the sector is in the second phase, a phase of consolidation.
To support continued reform of the sector, a number of funds have been made available. Initially, in 2013/2014 – 2019/2020, investment of €31 million was made into the technological sector as part of the HE Landscape Fund. MTU received €6.3 million under this fund. Dedicated funding for the TUs would follow between 2020/2021 and 2022/2023, when funding of €90 million was dispensed via the Technological Universities Transformation Fund (TUTF). MTU received €16.3 million under TUFT. This funding was utilised to provide financial support for the TUs during their establishment phase. To support this consolidation and expansion, TUTF was replaced by the Technological Sector Assistance Fund (TSAF). This was launched on 20 July 2023, with applications submitted by 5 TUs and the two IoTs. The TSAF made €50 million available for the technological sector. €29,903,000 was allocated in 2024, and the remaining €17,297,000 to be allocated in 2025. Munster Technological University was awarded €8,500,000.
In 2024, the department announced an €83.68 million regional funding programme called the Technological University Research and Innovation Supporting Enterprise scheme (TU RISE). TU RISE is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the Southern, Eastern & Midland and the Northern & Western Regional Programmes TU RISE supported through the European Regional Development Fund. The funding will enhance central research functions in higher education institutions in the technological university sector to further institutions’ engagements with their regions over a five-year period (2023-2027). MTU was awarded the highest level of funding under TU RISE of €14.6 million.
This approval has involved an extensive organisational review process and draws on the recommendations and principles of the 2022 OECD report and the TURN report (2019) both of which identified new management structures as necessary to lead the range of strategies required by TUs to pursue their unique missions, values and ambitions.