University of the South East's uphill journey to a higher level

A few weeks ago was closing date for completion of the CAO form.  It’s hard to think that once more the annual points race competitors are once more limbering up on the starting blocks. Already the mocks are on, After the mid term break the class of 2015 have just 10 more weeks left in school, sooner than they think it’ll be time to move on. But where?

Firstly second level school is no  Which is just as well as Wexford is about 90 miles from the nearest university campus.  The region’s IT’s in Waterford and Carlow are within easier reach.  Time was when Waterford IT was seen as the prime RTC, above all other RTC’s in the country.

t all about going on to third level or indeed university.

So as to acknowledge the status of Waterford RTC and to encourage it upward, Labour’s first Education Minister Niamh Breathnach had the college elevated to the status of Institute of Technology.  At the time Waterford RTC had student numbers on a par with Maynooth College.  It looked that it wouldn’t be long before the South East could have a university just as the Mid West had shortly before that got its own university at Limerick.

But under Fianna Fail, Waterford languished.  In the meantime the process of designating a university required international verification.  The nature of the economy evolved and skills needed changed also.

Labour has always said that there was a need to have a modern university based across the region on split campuses at Carlow, Waterford and Wexford.  Since 2011 when Labour once more held  the Ministry of Education,  this proposal along with 3 others from DIT, Munster and the BMW region for technical university status have been progressing towards presentation towards an international evaluation.

However the South East bid is significantly behind the others.  Chief reason is the failure of both college boards to agree a joint approach. An official has been appointed to knock heads together, however he cannot micromanage everything and forever.

The problem is that while 20 years ago the South East would have been a racing certainty for university status, this is no longer the situation.  Which is a huge pity. Often the electorate like to blame politicians for failings.  In this case it may be the ambitions of college dons that may undermine the potential of the region.  And it’s a shame, because there is a huge tradition of engineering, technology and  science in the region.  The skill base is still there but it needs to be enhanced and upgraded.  If other regions steal a march on us, what next? Who will be blame then?