Technological University of the Shannon

The Technological University of the Shannon: Midlands Midwest (TUS) is a public technological university in Ireland, established on 1 October 2021 as the country’s third such institution. It was formed through the merger of Athlone Institute of Technology and Limerick Institute of Technology, following legislation that required at least two institutes to jointly apply for university status. The university serves Ireland’s midlands and mid-west regions and operates across six campuses located in Limerick, Athlone, Thurles, Clonmel, and Ennis. LIT traces its origins back to 1852 with the School of Ornamental Art in Limerick, evolving through several institutional forms before becoming an institute of technology in 1997 and later expanding through mergers and new campuses. AIT, founded in 1970 as a regional technical college, gained autonomy in 1992 and became an institute of technology in 1997, developing significant modern facilities over time. In 2018, due to new legislation, AIT partnered with LIT to form a consortium aimed at achieving university status. Approval was granted in 2021 by Simon Harris, and Vincent Cunnane became TUS’s first president.