Waterford Institute of Technology (Irish: Institiúid Teicneolaíochta Phort Láirge) (WIT) is a state funded third-level educational freely available large scale institution situated in the city of Waterford, Ireland. The Institute has six Schools and offers programmes in Business, Engineering, Science, Health Sciences, Education & Humanities.
The institute opened in 1970 as a Regional Technical College and adopted its present name on 7 May 1997. The current president of WIT is Prof. Willie Donnelly.
Campuses
The Institute has 5 campuses: Cork Road, College Street, Carriganore, the Applied Technology Building and the Granary.
Cork Road Campus
The Cork Road Campus (also called the Main Campus) is located on the R680 (the old Cork Road). It was established in 1970 and houses the majority of the institutes departments. The Engineering, Science, Business and Health Science Schools are located on this campus. The buildings on this campus are: The original ’69 building which contains the main administration offices along with the Schools of Science & Engineering, the ’77 building housing the Business School, the Luke Wadding library, Walton IT Building, O’Connell Bianconi Nursing Building, Tourism & Leisure Building, the “T-Block“ now the FTG rooms which is also where the Centre for Technology Enhanced Learning is located. The Dome Bar,College Hall & Fitness Suite are adjacent to the main building and there is also on-site accommodation „College Fields“ apartments.
College Street Campus
The College Street Campus is located 5 minutes from the City Centre. The Humanities and Lifelong Learning & Education schools are officially located here, but are in reality spread between this and the Cork Road Campus. There is also an on-site College Library. The buildings were purchased from the Good Shepherd Order of Nuns. The one time convent houses a Pugin-designed chapel which is used for concerts and ceremonies. WIT Conferring ceremonies take place in the Chapel on this campus every year.
Carriganore Campus
The Carriganore campus, or West Campus, is located outside the city near the Waterford Bypass. It is the goal of the Institute that this campus become the college’s Cork Road Campus in years to come. So far it has the TSSG Building, the ArcLabs Research and Innovation Centre (also containing TSSG staff), the National Biodiversity Centre, Carriganore House (an old mansion now home to the Macular Pigmnent Research Group) and the WIT Sports Campus. Many of the intervarsity rugby, soccer & GAA matches take place here.
Applied Technology Building
The Applied Technology Building, which is on lease from IDA Ireland, is located in Waterford’s Industrial Estate. This is just a 2-minute walk from the back of the Cork Road Campus. While thought by most students to be a “spill-over” of the Cork Road Campus, due to its close proximity, it is officially a separate campus. It houses engineering workshops and technology based facilities as well as the Careers Centre and the Engineering Research area.
The Granary
The Department of Architecture and Architecture Technology is located in the old Waterford Museum of Treasures. This building is on the Merchant’s Quay, very close to the city centre and the historical heart of the cifty.
Organisation
The Institute is divided into 6 schools and their various departments.
- School of Business
- Department of Accountancy & Economics
- Department of Management & Organisation
- Department of Graduate Business Studies
- School of Lifelong Learning & Education
- Department of Education
- Department of Lifelong Learning
- School of Engineering
- Department of Architecture
- Department of the Built Environment
- Department of Engineering Technology
- School of Health Sciences
- Department of Nursing & Health Care
- Department of Health, Sport & Exercise Science
- School of Humanities
- Department of Applied Arts
- Department of Creative & Performing Arts
- Department of Languages, Tourism & Hospitality Studies
- School of Science and Computing
- Department of Chemical & Life Sciences
- Department of Computing and Maths