Cork Regional Technical College is to be redesignated an Institute of Technology before Christmas. The Minister for Education and Science, Mr Martin, announced this yesterday at a conferring ceremony in the college. The Minister said that Cork would join the Waterford Institute of Technology as one of two former RTCs redesignated as ITs. Waterford was redesignated an Institute of Technology last January. "In terms of the title, I know there is a concern, and the title will be changed before Christmas to Cork Institute of Technology", he said.
Mr Martin announced an additional investment of £1 million to equip the college's new information technology building and said that new facilities for staff and students and a new building for the college's tourism and catering department were planned.
The Minister said that Cork would be a "campus of excellence" in the region.
However, the announcement is likely to cause confusion in Athlone RTC, where the Minister for Public Affairs, Ms O'Rourke, told staff and students on Thursday that they could expect Institute of Technology status within weeks.
Mr Martin pointed out that he had established an interim review group in July to assess colleges in the sector with a view to delegating authorities to make their own awards. He added: "Two institutions have applied and are in that process and are currently being assessed: Waterford and Cork."
Athlone RTC was not mentioned, but Mr Martin intends to meet the directors of the RTCs in the coming weeks for comprehensive discussions on developments in the sector.
The Minister intends to publish legislation which will provide for the co-ordinated development of the technological sector.
The director of Cork RTC, Mr Patrick Kelleher, said that the students and staff were "thrilled" at the new designation, which would give a better perspective of the college to both students and employers, particularly multinationals, which would be more familiar with the term "Institute of Technology".