09 November, 2021

MTU President Professor Maggie Cusack, and Chair of MTU Governing Body Jimmy Deenihan, welcomed An Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris, and Minister for Education Norma Foley to MTU as part of a multi-campus flag-raising ceremony on Monday 8 November.

The ceremony, which was deferred until it was safe for MTU’s key stakeholders and dignitaries to attend, marked the establishment of the University on 1 January 2021 when Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee merged to form Munster Technological University (MTU), becoming the country’s second technological university.

Speaking at the event, Professor Cusack said MTU will play a leadership role in the strategic development of the South West region, adopting a global outlook and a civic-centric value system. “MTU will anchor the development of the South West region while participating fully on both the national and international stages. We will play a central and strategic role in ensuring that there are fantastic opportunities for all to achieve their full potential in education, in life, and in their careers,” she added.

An Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the importance of higher education has never been greater and Ireland needs to maximise its ability to produce talented and responsible graduates who can lead, innovate, create, inspire, and transform. “We will need these graduates in every village, town, city, and region in Ireland if we are to achieve the ground-up community engagement required to succeed in a sustainable manner. The development of technological universities is a key development in this context, and the establishment of MTU, in particular, will prove to be transformative for the South West region.”

Cllr Colm Kelleher, Lord Mayor of Cork, and Cllr Jimmy Moloney, Cathaoirleach of Kerry provided welcome addresses ahead of raising the MTU flag, while Student’s Union Presidents Aisling O'Mahony and Chris Clifford, at MTU Cork and Kerry respectively, played a key role in the ceremony, addressing attendees and handing the University’s flag to the hosts and invited dignitaries before it was officially raised simultaneously across MTU’s six campuses.

The event was the culmination of a 10-day countdown featuring a series of videos highlighting key MTU values, initiatives, and achievements. MTU has a current student enrolment of more than 18,000 across 6 campuses and offers more than 140 programmes of study.

“As we raise our flag today. We do three things; we thank everyone who has brought us to this momentous point. We celebrate our arrival by succeeding together and we raise our eyes and set with ambition for a shared future. We place no limits on ourselves. By working well together with our industrial, business and academic collaborators, we will ensure that MTU will have the most powerful impact and benefits for the regions and all members of our MTU community.”

Professor Maggie Cusack, MTU President