President of SETU, Prof Veronica Campbell with Richard Hayes, Vice President for Strategy. Photo by: Patrick Browne
SOUTH East Technological University (SETU) has launched its first strategic plan, setting out the university’s five-year aim to become a leading global technological university, driving the southeast as a learning and innovation region, including the development of student accommodation in Carlow.
The plan, titled ‘Connecting for Impact’, sets out SETU’s ambitions over the coming years to establish itself as the anchor institution for the ongoing development of the southeast.
In relation to the plan for Carlow, president of the university professor Veronica Campbell said: “The strategic plan acknowledges the need to develop new student accommodation and other facilities at our Carlow campus. We look forward to delivering these facilities over the course of the plan. Our new corporate services building is close to completion and we plan to move rapidly towards the development of a science building on the site. We are excited about the period ahead and this plan sets us up well with a roadmap to really deliver for the people of the region.”
SETU aims to have a long-term transformative impact on the southeast region. This will be achieved by creating new educational opportunities for people in the region, contributing to developing the skills and capacity of the regional labour force and driving regional innovation, which in turn will create high-quality jobs and will help improve the quality of life for everyone.
The university’s priorities include access to higher education, supporting the student experience, developing a range of new courses and significantly increasing the volume and impact of the university’s research. Expanding and improving physical and digital infrastructure across the university’s campuses are also key priorities. This includes, among other investments, the development of a new campus in Wexford, a university-enterprise quarter at the former Waterford Crystal site on the Cork Road in Waterford and new buildings for the Carlow campus.
Professor Campbell continued: “We’re delighted to launch this strategic plan, the first plan for our new university. People who read it will have no doubt about our ambitions for the university and the southeast region. We see ourselves as an anchor institution, an important change agent that will be central to addressing regional challenges, especially those relating to the green and digital transitions. The full implementation of this plan will see us expand our campuses and facilities, develop new courses in areas of regional needs, deepen our international partnerships and greatly enhance what we are doing in research and innovation – all in support of the development of the southeast.”
