New Professor Posts will Transform MTU Cork into a Research Powerhouse

The grade of Full Professor will be established in MTU Cork and is a massive vote of confidence in the region’s education sector, Fine Gael TD for Cork North West Deputy John Paul O’Shea has said.

This announcement will see the creation of 50 Full Professor posts across the Technological University sector, with recruitment for the first phase of 25 posts beginning immediately through open competition.

Deputy O’Shea said this move delivers on a key Fine Gael priority championed by the Tanaiste and Leader of Fine Gael Simon Harris TD during his time as Minister for Further & Higher Education. “This move is about ensuring that MTU Cork is not just a University in name, but a University in fact with parity of esteem across the board. For too long, MTU has been held back because they couldn’t hire staff at the highest academic level. By introducing the grade of Full Professor, with a salary scale that allows us to attract the best talent to our University, we are ensuring that the best minds in research and innovation are working right here in Cork.”

Key benefits for Cork:

• Attracting Talent: MTU Cork can now hire world-class academic leaders to drive research in key local industries.

• New Subjects: These senior posts are essential for introducing high-demand courses like Veterinary and Pharmacy.

• Parity of Esteem: It ensures degrees and research from MTU Cork hold the exact same weight as those from traditional universities like Trinity or UCD.

Deputy O’Shea concluded by saying “This initiative is funded through the Targeted Enhancement Fund, approved by Government earlier this month. It is a direct result of the work started by Simon Harris to deliver equality of status for our Technological Universities. Fine Gael in Government is proving that you don’t need to move to Dublin to work at the cutting edge of research or to receive a world-class education. We are delivering real regional development and securing the future of MTU Cork.”