'Logical next step' for ITs to merge and form university
The head of the Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) says it's a logical next step for it to turn into a university.
WIT wants to join forces with Carlow IT to boost their status, making the first ever university in the South-East.
The bid, which will be launched in September, follows a similar move by ITs in Dublin which have decided to merge.
"This is a logical next step," said Willie Donnelly, president of WIT.
The big debate in 2000 was whether the Institute should have PhD students at all.
Today we're competing internationally with the universities for funding, we're competing nationally for funding and we're very successful."
