Education

The current economic boom owes much to the investment that successive governments have made in second and third-level education. The benefits of CSF investment in Human Resources are clearly identifiable. There is only one third-level institution based in the Midland region. Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) is continuing to expand. Its future success will not only be based on attracting more third level students but will be determined by AIT's ability to forge linkages with the private sector, Universities and 3rd level Institutes. The recent announcement of strategic collaboration with DCU is a positive development in this regard.

The Authority will work with AIT and other agencies in support of the future development of the Institute. As a medium to long-term objective the Authority will be aiming to ensure the development and provision of outreach services and distributed campuses in the region.

Under the Innovative Actions project the Authority was able to ensure that support was available for research, co-ordination, dissemination business planning, evaluation, capital / structural fitting out of a centre for outreach throughout the region, namely in Laois, Longford and Offaly. The allocation for the Midland Region was €160,000 or 80% of the total eligible project costs.

In the longer term the Midland Regional Authority will seek the upgrading of Athlone Institute of Technology to a university with a view to the provision of a wider range of 3rd level courses and extending curricula and courses to a wider audience.