History: Origins can be traced back to the Irish artisan's exhibition in 1885, held at Earlsford Terrace, Dublin. Organised to represent the industries of the day, such as stonecutters, coopers and bookbinders, it was developed to provide education for the working classes of the city. In January 1993, DIT was set up.
Number of students: More than 21,000 students with 10,500 studying on a full-time basis, 4,000 apprentices and 8,500 part-time students, making it one of the largest third-level institutions in the State.
Faculties: Applied arts, built environment, business, engineering, science, tourism and food.
Location: Sites dispersed around Dublin city centre. Levels of education:
From apprenticeship through certificate, diploma, degree, and masters to PhD. Only IT to award own degrees.
Courses unique to DIT: Include optometry, human nutrition, environmental health, printing, degree in culinary arts, tourism marketing, transport and logistics, photography. One of two colleges with degrees in architecture and property economics.
Famous past students: Bertie Ahern; Stephen Roche; Marian Finucane; Darina Allen; Jim and Gay Mitchell.
Biggest ambition: To become a university. DIT Review Group concluded in 1998 there were serious arguments against.
Moving to: Grangegorman, where it will have space for sports and student facilities but when?
