Munster Technological University

Munster Technological University
Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan
Logo of the university
Other name
MTU
Established1 January 2021 (2021-01-01)
PresidentMaggie Cusack
Students18,000+
Address
Rossa Avenue
,
Cork
,
Munster
,
T12 P928
,
Ireland
CampusMTU Bishopstown Campus, Bishopstown, Cork[1]
MTU Kerry North Campus, Tralee, County Kerry
MTU Kerry South Campus, Tralee
National Maritime College of Ireland, Ringaskiddy, Cork
MTU Cork School of Music, Cork City Centre
MTU Crawford College of Art and Design, Cork City Centre
Colours
Websitewww.mtu.ie

Munster Technological University (MTU; Irish: Ollscoil Teicneolaíochta na Mumhan) is a public technological university consisting of six campuses located in Cork city and County Kerry. The university was established in January 2021,[2][3] the result of a merger between two institutes of technology, Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology, Tralee.[4][5][6] Its creation was announced in May 2020.[4][5][6] It accommodates more than 18,000 students and over 2,000 members of staff.[6]

It is Ireland's second technological university, after Technological University Dublin.[1]

History

Early plans for a technical university (T.U.) in the region included a three-way merger with Waterford IT which was examined in 2012.[7] In building a proposal, the two institutions sought to offer a multi-campus institution encompassing Cork city and County Kerry, creating a second university in the region, and a third in the province of Munster.[8][9][10] A formal application for T.U. status was lodged in February 2019.[11]

In May 2019, academic staff of Cork Institute of Technology and IT Tralee rejected the merger,[12] and an international advisory panel visited the campuses.[13][14] In 2019, Cork Institute of Technology refused to take on IT Tralee's financial debts.[15]

In May 2020, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the formal approval of the technological university, to begin operations in January 2021.[5][4][6]

In October 2021, MTU launched the Code Red Period Dignity campaign to provide free period products to staff and students. It was the first university in Ireland to provide such a service. The campaign also ran a series of events, talks and workshops to tackle taboos and misinformation around menstruation. [16][17][18]

In February 2023, MTU was the target of a ransomware attack, which caused the cancellation of all classes in its Cork campuses for a period.[19] The university attributed the attack to 'Blackcat', a Russian cybercrime group,[20][21] having received a ransom note threatening to sell and or publish data if a "significant" sum was not paid.[22] The closure, which MTU stated was intended to protect staff and student data and which did not affect the Kerry campuses,[23] lasted for one week.[24] MTU, which did not pay the ransom, later confirmed that some university data had been made available on the "dark web".[25][26]

Facilities

Munster Technological University consists of six campuses, the Kerry campuses in Dromtacker and Clash, Tralee, and the Cork campuses in Bishopstown, Cork School of Music (Cork City Centre), and Crawford College of Art and Design, as well as the National Maritime College of Ireland (NMCI) facility in Ringaskiddy.[1][6] Research activity is undertaken in a number of centres across the university's facilities.[27]

Cork city

MTU Bishopstown Campus

The main Cork campus, of approximately eighty acres, is situated in Bishopstown in the western suburbs of Cork city.[28] It has theatres, lecture rooms, laboratories, drawing studios, a library, computer suites, open access computing centre and research units. Recreational facilities for the expected student population include a running track, tennis courts, all-weather pitch, a gymnasium and grass playing pitches, while an indoor swimming pool is located nearby. This campus has won awards for its architectural design and aesthetics.[29] A new sports facility building was planned for the campus, with works reportedly commencing during 2020.[30][31] The facility, known as the MTU Arena, was formally opened in 2023.[32]

Panorama of the central circular courtyard at Bishopstown

MTU Crawford College of Art & Design

Further information: Crawford College of Art and Design

The Crawford College of Art and Design spans a number of buildings in the centre of Cork city. Visual communications and digital media courses are based between the Bishopstown Campus and Sober Lane building, adjacent to Sullivan's Quay. Several fine art and art programmes are based from the university's Sharman Crawford Street campus and its facility on Grand Parade. Art therapy and art and design education are also based from the Grand Parade building.[33]

MTU Cork School of Music

Cork School of Music building, Union Quay
Further information: Cork School of Music

This school of music is located on Union Quay in Cork city, operating from a purpose-built facility which opened in 2007.[34]

National Maritime College of Ireland

Main article: National Maritime College of Ireland

The NMCI is a purpose-built college on a 10-acre campus and is located in Ringaskiddy, 18km from Cork city.

Kerry

MTU Kerry North Campus, Tralee

MTU Kerry North Campus, Dromtacker, Tralee

From 2016, IT Tralee reportedly had plans to grow the Dromtacker campus, so that the smaller Clash campus could be closed.[8] As of 2025, both the north (Dromtacker) and south (Clash) campuses were in operation.[35]

MTU Kerry South Campus

The MTU Kerry South campus is home to the School of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).[36] As of August 2025, the MTU website indicated that, following the proposed development of a STEM facility at the MTU Kerry North Campus, "all MTU students studying in Kerry" would be based at its northern campus.[36]

References

  1. ^ a b c Riegel, Ralph (26 May 2020). "Government confirms Ireland's newest technological university as Cork and Tralee IT merge together". Independent.ie. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  2. ^ "Merger of colleges is a potential 'game-changer' and 'great for Cork'". echo live. 2 January 2021.
  3. ^ Russell, Chrissie (20 September 2020). "Technological university heralds exciting new era for south — west". Business Post. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b c Casey, Jess (26 May 2020). "New technological university for Munster this week as greenlight expected for IT merger". irishExaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b c Graham, Breda. "Second university announced for Cork with green light given to CIT and IT Tralee consortium". echolive.ie. The Echo. Archived from the original on 26 May 2020. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  6. ^ a b c d e Roche, Barry (26 May 2020). "Taoiseach confirms creation of new Munster Technological University". The Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  7. ^ Brouder, Simon (3 October 2012). "Experts criticise IT's merger plan". The Kerryman. Retrieved 27 May 2020 – via PressReader.com.
  8. ^ a b Lucey, Anne (26 March 2016). "Central campus part of ITT plans to boost college". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Munster Technological University (MTU)". MTU.ie. Archived from the original on 4 October 2016. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  10. ^ Marren, Aisling (12 October 2018). "HEA Invests €800,000 in Four Institutes of Technology". The University Times. Trinity College Dublin. Archived from the original on 12 October 2018. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  11. ^ "CIT and IT Tralee apply to become Munster Technological University". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 13 February 2019. Archived from the original on 13 February 2019.
  12. ^ O'Brien, Carl (22 May 2019). "Munster Technological University bid suffers blow as staff reject latest plans". irishtimes.com. Irish Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  13. ^ "Today we say farewell to the International Advisory Panel". www.facebook.com. Munster Technological University. Retrieved 26 May 2020 – via Facebook.
  14. ^ Casey, Jess (23 July 2019). "Munster tech university deferred amid financial concerns and 'lack of clear vision and strategy'". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. Archived from the original on 23 July 2019. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  15. ^ Donnelly, Katherine (9 July 2019). "Another tech university project hit by wrangle over €26m issue". Nature. doi:10.1038/news.2009.394. ISSN 0028-0836. Retrieved 31 May 2020.
  16. ^ Browne, Bill (12 October 2021). "MTU Code Red initiative aiming to create period dignity 'one bathroom at a time'". Irish Independent. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  17. ^ O'Sullivan, Jennie (6 October 2021). "Free period products to be provided to MTU students, staff". RTÉ News. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  18. ^ Dunphy, Liz (7 October 2021). "'Code Red' aims to stamp out period poverty on Munster campuses". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  19. ^ O'Donovan, Brian (7 February 2023). "MTU campuses to close following 'significant' IT breach". RTÉ News. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
  20. ^ "MTU being blackmailed and held to ransom, court hears". RTÉ News. 11 February 2023. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  21. ^ Ó Faoláin, Aodhán (11 February 2023). "Hackers threaten to publish 'confidential' MTU data unless ransom is paid, High Court told". The Irish Times. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  22. ^ O Faolain, Aodhan (11 February 2023). "Russian hacker group BLACKCAT demanded 'significant money' from MTU". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  23. ^ McGowran, Leigh (7 February 2023). "MTU closes Cork campuses due to 'significant' IT breach". Silicon Republic. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  24. ^ "MTU reopens after IT breach". RTÉ.ie. 13 February 2023.
  25. ^ Kane, Conor (12 February 2023). "Stolen data made available on dark web, says Munster Technological University". RTÉ News. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  26. ^ Griffin, Niamh (12 February 2023). "Data accessed in MTU cyberattack shared on 'dark web'". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  27. ^ "Research centres". MTU. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  28. ^ Hayes, Michael (14 December 2019). "9 things you'll only know if you went to CIT". Cork Beo. Archived from the original on 4 January 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  29. ^ "2006 Best International Project". brick.org.uk. Brick Development Association. Archived from the original on 5 January 2009. Retrieved 6 November 2018.
  30. ^ Healy, Alan (4 February 2019). "CIT building a new multifunctional sports arena at their Bishopstown campus". echolive.ie. The Echo. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  31. ^ "Griffin Brothers awarded CIT Arena contract". www.irishbuildingmagazine.ie. May 2020. Archived from the original on 27 May 2020. Retrieved 27 May 2020.
  32. ^ "MTU Arena officially opened by Minister Simon Harris and MTU President Professor Maggie Cusack". mtu.ie. 20 November 2023. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  33. ^ "MTU Crawford College of Art and Design (MTU CCAD)". mtu.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  34. ^ "A Brief History of CSM". csm.mtu.ie. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
  35. ^ "Council asked to zone lands for massive student village near MTU". radiokerry.ie. 28 March 2025. Retrieved 17 August 2025.
  36. ^ a b "MTU Kerry South Campus". Munster Technological University. Retrieved 17 August 2025.

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