Trinity’s former Provost Patrick Prendergast is to become the first chairperson of the new TU for the South East.
The new university will open its doors on May 1st, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris confirmed today.
Prendergast will be joined on the university’s governing board by Jim Bergin, the CEO of Glanbia, and Ruth Beadle, who holds a key leadership role at Sanofi, which has a manufacturing facility in Waterford.
In a press statement, Harris said he was “thrilled” to announce that Prendergast would chair the governing body.
“I want to wish Dr Prendergast, Mr Bergin and Ms Beadle the very best in their roles. Having an inaugural governing board with such vast and invaluable experience will be of huge benefit to the technological university as it embarks on this new journey”, he said.
“After decades of debate, the technological university for the South East is finally a reality.”
“This is the first university presence in the region and marks a truly historic moment in higher education for staff, students, regional stakeholders and local communities in the South East.”
The TU for the South East comprises an amalgamation of IT Carlow and Waterford IT. The new university will have campuses in Carlow, Waterford, Wexford and Wicklow. Prendergast himself is a Wexford native.
In a press statement, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said: “This is a red letter day for the South East. I’ve been campaigning for this day for many years, and I heartily congratulate the colleges and Minister Harris for getting us to this point. This new university will help us to secure more economic investment for the region.”
“Indeed, I think some of the new IDA jobs we secured for Waterford and Kilkenny in the past year were spurred by the assurance that this would happen. The new university will also lead to more indigenous businesses being founded in the region fostering more job creation”, Varadkar continued. “Crucial to making an economic success of Ireland’s South East region is retaining and attracting talent and creating well-paid jobs. It’s a virtuous circle. Making higher education accessible to all is the best way to make Ireland a country of equal opportunities.”
Prendergast finished his decade-long tenure as Provost of Trinity last August. During his term, he oversaw some of Trinity’s most ambitious capital projects, including a €70 million new building for the Trinity Business School, which was funded without any state money.
Prendergast also oversaw a levelling-up of Trinity’s philanthropic income. College’s Inspiring Generations campaign, the largest such campaign in Ireland, reached its goal of €400 million in donations towards the end of his tenure.
