Thousands of school students from across the region and beyond are expected to descend on South East Technological University’s (SETU’s) Waterford campus this week to find out what it will be like to study at the region’s first university.
Sixth years will have the opportunity to explore the SETU’s Cork Road campus in Waterford at the autumn open evening on Thursday, 9 November from 6pm to 8pm and again at the schools’ open day on Friday, 10 November from 10am to 2pm.
The event is also ideal for adult learners or CAO applicants, who want to take time to ask lecturers, support staff and students the questions that matter.
“The most recent statistics for enrolment highlight the popularity of Waterford as a place to study for the class of 2023,” says Dr Richard Hayes, Vice President for Strategy & Institutional Transformation at SETU.
“Figures show that nearly half of all students from here choose SETU Waterford as a place to study. Figures also show high enrolment rates from Kilkenny and Wexford. SETU overall is by far the most popular place for students from the south east to study, with 40% of students choosing to study at one or other of our campuses.
“The south east, as we know, is a great place to live and Waterford city is an attractive place for students to work, live and study. Ireland’s oldest city was named by the Irish Times as Ireland’s best place to live and consistently is identified as a fantastic place to visit by travel journalists internationally.
“The city offers great amenities in addition to a lively environment to learn and grow; it is a place where students can centre themselves for work in the future and not just their college years,” Dr Hayes adds.
Dr Derek O’Byrne, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Registrar at the South East Technological University (SETU), expresses his delight in welcoming Leaving Cert students, their teachers, and parents/guardians to the Cork Road campus in Waterford this week.
“Open or on campus events where people can talk to their future lecturers, explore the facilities and walk the corridors they may be walking for the next four years is core to our ‘right student, right programme’ ethos,” says Dr O’Byrne.
This philosophy focuses on ensuring that every student who accepts an offer of admission to SETU has made an informed decision by conducting thorough research and asking the necessary questions.
“We want every single student who accepts an offer of a place here to have selected a course and career path that aligns with their individual strengths and interests. This empowers students to make well-informed choices that are best suited to their future aspirations and personal growth, rather than following friends or trends,” adds Dr O’Byrne.
The University offers over 140 CAO courses across a range of disciplines including business, engineering and architecture, sports and nursing, law, social sciences, arts and psychology, the creative and performing arts, languages, tourism and hospitality, science and computing.
Thursday’s evening open event is suited to small groups and individuals and ideal for CAO applicants who want to bring parents, guardians, friends or family along to help make the choice that’s right for them.
The schools' open day on Friday includes presentations on all CAO courses, as well as the opportunity to experience what it would be like to study on those courses and talk to lecturers and current students directly. This event is mainly aimed at senior cycle students and those considering college for September 2024.
