Minister Simon Harris names new chair of South East Technological University

Details of the new Chair of the South East Technological University have been revealed.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation & Science, Simon Harris, this morning on a visit to Waterford Institute of Technology announced that Prof Patrick Prendergast will head up the body which will now be known as S.E.T.U.

Prof Prendergast’s served as President and Provost of Trinity College Dublin for ten years and his standing in the academic and research community is extraordinarily high.

He was appointed through a competitive process by Minister Harris, with a view to convening the first governing body once the university is established on 1st May 2022.

The Minister also announced Ruth Beadle, Head of Insulins Manufacturing Cluster at Sanofi and Jim Bergin, CEO of Glanbia Ireland, as SETU governing body appointees.

The governing body will also include staff and student representatives as well as other members from industry and social, educational and cultural partners from across the region.

Speaking in Waterford today Minister Harris said “I have formally granted designation status to the fifth technological university in the State.

“This is the first university presence in the region and marks a truly historic moment in higher education for staff, students, regional stakeholders and local communities in the South East.

“I am also thrilled to announce that Dr Patrick Prendergast will be the University’s first Chairperson, and that he will be joined on the Governing Board by Jim Bergin and Ruth Beadle.

“I want to wish Dr Prendergast, Mr Bergin and Ms Beadle the very best in their roles. Having an inaugural governing board with such vast and invaluable experience will be of huge benefit to the Technological University as it embarks on this new journey”.