Prof Maggie Cusack has been appointed as the first president of the Munster Technological University.
She will take over as president on January 1st 2021.
In February, Cork IT and IT Tralee submitted a formal application to merge and form the Munster Technological University.
Cusack is currently the dean of natural sciences in the University of Sterling, and was chosen after an open competition ran by the governing bodies of Cork IT and the IT Tralee.
In a press statement, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said: “The establishment of only the second technological university in the State, the first outside the capital, is another important milestone for higher education in Ireland and, in particular, for the South West.”
“I want to congratulate Professor Cusack on her appointment. It makes her the second ever female President of an Irish University. Professor Cusack will lead MU on this journey of transformation, and will help drive the agenda of higher education access excellence in teaching and learning, regional development and crucially, strengthen the links between community and the university.”
In a press statement, Cusack said: “I am thrilled to be appointed inaugural president of Munster Technological University. On 1 January 2021, the culmination of many years of planning, preparation and hard work will come together as Munster Technological University comes into existence.”
“MTU’s mission is to lead change and, through education, empower people for a successful future in a globalised world.”
“I look forward to working with my MTU colleagues at this exciting and profoundly important time for staff, students, and all stakeholders to maximise the opportunities of a Technological University to bring educational, economic and social benefit to the region for generations to come”, she added.
The merger of Cork IT and IT Tralee to form a technological university has been in development since 2013, and was accelerated last year after the passing of the Technological Universities Bill.
The amalgamation of Cork IT and IT Tralee to form Munster Technical University was first proposed in February 2019, but hit multiple roadblocks with Cork IT unwilling to take on IT Tralee’s substantial debts, leaving the viability of the project under question.
Institutes of technology have been central to the government’s plans for the future of a higher education sector in the midst of a funding crisis.
In the past few years, institutes of technology have taken steps to amalgamate to create technical universities. Last year, Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown joined together to form Technical University Dublin.
