Atlantic Technological University (also known as Atlantic TU or ATU; ga, Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta an Atlantaigh; OTA) is a

technological university An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...

in the west and north-west of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

. It was formally established on 1 April 2022 as a merger of three existing

institutes of technology An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...

(ITs) -

Galway-Mayo IT The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT; ga, Institúid Teicneolaíochta na Gaillimhe-Maigh Eo) was an institute of technology, located in Galway, Ireland. In April 2022, it was formally dissolved, and its functions were transferred to ...

IT Sligo The Institute of Technology, Sligo (ITS; ga, Institiúid Teicneolaíochta, Sligeach) was an institute of technology, located in Sligo, Ireland. In April 2022, it was formally dissolved, and its functions became part of Atlantic Technological ...

, and Letterkenny IT - into a single university, the fourth such TU in Ireland.

History

With alliances made in 2012, by 2015,

(GMIT), along with

and Letterkenny IT (LYIT), submitted a formal

Expression of Interest An invitation to tender (ITT, otherwise known as a call for bids or a request for tenders) is a formal, structured procedure for generating competing offers from different potential suppliers or contractors looking to obtain an award of business ...

to the

Higher Education Authority __NOTOC__ The Higher Education Authority (HEA), officially An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas, is the statutory body providing policy advice for higher education in Ireland. Description and functions The HEA was established under the Higher Educat ...

(HEA) in the

Republic of Ireland Ireland ( ga, Éire ), also known as the Republic of Ireland (), is a country in north-western Europe consisting of 26 of the 32 Counties of Ireland, counties of the island of Ireland. The capital and largest city is Dublin, on the eastern ...

for re-designation as a

Technological University An institute of technology (also referred to as: technological university, technical university, university of technology, technological educational institute, technical college, polytechnic university or just polytechnic) is an institution of te ...

. This partnership, known as the

Connacht Connacht ( ; ga, Connachta or ), is one of the provinces of Ireland, in the west of Ireland. Until the ninth century it consisted of several independent major Gaelic kingdoms ( Uí Fiachrach, Uí Briúin, Uí Maine, Conmhaícne, and Del ...

Ulster Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...

Alliance (CUA), aimed to establish a 'Technological University' in the West of Ireland and

County Donegal County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconn ...

, a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the north of Ireland, and was in the planning stage in October 2018. The plan was a tenet of the GMIT strategic plan 2019 – 2023. The CUA planned to make a formal application in 2021, with a TU beginning operations in 2022. In October 2020, the constituent IT's were allocated over €5.5 million towards transformation. Formal approval was granted in October 2021 by Simon Harris,

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science (Irish: ''An tAire Breisoideachais agus Ardoideachais, Taighde, Nuálaíochta agus Eolaíochta'') is a senior minister in the Government of Ireland and leads the ...

, with a launch date in April 2022. LYIT is the only part of the technological university located in

, the northern

province A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or state. The term derives from the ancient Roman '' provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire's territorial possessions ou ...

Campuses

Galway Campus

Atlantic TU Galway campus is based on the Dublin Road in Galway city, overlooking Galway Bay. It is the administrative headquarters for the Institute and has four Schools of study; the School of Business, the School of Engineering, the School of Science & Computing, and Galway International Hotel School. Also located at this campus are the Innovation Hub, the Lifelong Learning Centre and the Research, Development & Innovation Centre. File:ATU, Galway Campus, 2022-05-15 04.jpg, Main entrance to ATU Galway campus File:ATU, Galway Campus, 2022-05-15 02.jpg, Library of ATU Galway campus

Sligo Campus

Based in Ash Lane, Sligo town. File:Itsligo-entrance.jpg, Main entrance to ATU Sligo campus File:Itsligo-bic.jpg, Business Innovation Centre (BIC) at ATU Sligo campus File:Itsligo-sports-centre.jpg, Sports centre at ATU Sligo campus File:Sligo IT library 2014.jpg, Section of library

Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM)

GMIT's Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) is located a mile from the main campus on the Monivea Road. It is based in an old

Redemptorist The Redemptorists officially named the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer ( la, links=no, Congregatio Sanctissimi Redemptoris), abbreviated CSsR,is a Catholic clerical religious congregation of pontifical right for men (priests and brother ...

Monastery and is now the location of an Art, Design and Media college. It offers undergraduate courses in design, contemporary arts, film & documentary, textiles and fine art. In 2016, it introduced post-graduate courses in Creative Practice to support artists, designers and filmmakers. The annual graduate exhibitions and screenings showcase the work being produced throughout the academic year. GMIT CCAM

Letterkenny Campus

ATU Letterkenny Campus lies on the N14 national road.

Killybegs Campus

The ATU Killybegs Campus houses the School of Tourism. It is located by the harbour. Killybegs_Harbour_2007_08_21

Mayo Campus

Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology at Castlebar

Atlantic TU Mayo campus is located at Castlebar on approximately 20 hectares of land. Degree courses on offer include business, engineering, humanities, nursing and social care, and technology. GMIT Mayo campus also offers a wide range of Lifelong Learning courses, and has an Innovation Hub to support entrepreneurs and start-up businesses.

Letterfrack Campus

$Letterfrack Former Industrial School 2018 09 04$ Atlantic TU

Letterfrack Letterfrack or Letterfrac () is a small village in the Connemara area of County Galway, Ireland. It was founded by Quakers in the mid-19th century. The village is south-east of Renvyle peninsula and north-east of Clifden on Barnaderg Bay an ...

campus is the National Centre of Excellence for Furniture Design and Wood Technology, and has been involved with the study of furniture design since 1987. It offers degree courses in furniture design and manufacture, furniture and wood technology, and teacher education (construction studies and DCG). The campus is located in

Connemara Connemara (; )( ga, Conamara ) is a region on the Atlantic coast of western County Galway, in the west of Ireland. The area has a strong association with traditional Irish culture and contains much of the Connacht Irish-speaking Gaeltacht, ...

in County Galway.

Mountbellew Campus

Mountbellew was the first agricultural college in Ireland, set up by the Franciscan Brothers in 1904. The original college was demolished in 1971 and replaced with the new building in 1975. In 1986, the Franciscan Brothers Agricultural College established a link with (the then)

Regional Technical College, Galway The Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT; ga, Institúid Teicneolaíochta na Gaillimhe-Maigh Eo) was an institute of technology, located in Galway, Ireland. In April 2022, it was formally dissolved, and its functions were transferred to ...

to deliver a Higher Certificate in Business Studies (Agribusiness). Today, ATU students in Mountbellew can choose between three types of degree (Agri-Business, Agri-Science or Agri-Engineering) and spend time between the Mountbellew and Galway Campuses.

References

External links

* {{authority control Castlebar Education in County Galway Education in County Mayo Institutes of technology in the Republic of Ireland Buildings and structures in Letterkenny Education in Letterkenny Art schools in Ireland Sligo (town) Educational institutions established in 1970 Educational institutions established in 2022 Education in County Sligo Technological universities in the Republic of Ireland Universities established in the 2020s 2022 establishments in Ireland