Photo: L to R: Dr. Diarmuid O’Callaghan, President, Dundalk Institute of Technology; Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless T.D. and Professor Sir Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor, Queen’s University Belfast
Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queen’s University Belfast have issued an update on their strategic partnership which will see DkIT become a University College of Queen’s University Belfast.
The partnership was first announced in November 2025 and both institutions say work has continued in recent months through a number of joint working groups overseeing key areas of the project.
Under the plans, DkIT will become part of Queen’s academic and quality assurance frameworks.
Minister James Lawless recently brought a memorandum to Cabinet seeking approval to draft legislative amendments to the Technological Universities Act 2018. The proposed changes would allow Dundalk Institute of Technology to participate in a new all island university group with Queen’s University Belfast.
The legislation also sets out a process to establish a Technological University College following a strategic partnership agreement with Queen’s.
The new institution would be named Dundalk University College, a College of Queen’s University Belfast.
Subject to regulatory approval and a successful application process by DkIT, students entering the college in September 2026 are expected to graduate from Dundalk University College, which would operate as a designated awarding body in its own right.
It is also anticipated that new undergraduate honours and postgraduate taught students entering from September 2027 may be able to register for Queen’s awards through Dundalk University College.
As part of the partnership, it is also expected that first year PhD students enrolling from January 2027 may register for Queen’s awards through Dundalk University College, subject to the same approval process.
Dr. Diarmuid O’Callaghan, President of Dundalk Institute of Technology, said:
“From the outset of this partnership, we have worked closely with our colleagues in Queen’s University Belfast, alongside government and sectoral stakeholders, to deliver on our shared vision. The formal endorsement of the Heads of Agreement in March marked a significant milestone, underlining our joint commitment to cross-border collaboration in teaching and learning, research and innovation, and community engagement. We remain fully committed to ensuring our students graduate with a university qualification.”
Queen’s University Belfast President and Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Ian Greer said:
“We are delighted with the continued progress being made in relation to this strategic partnership. The recent government approval was a significant step towards creating the first all-island university group, a partnership that will drive economic growth and further improve student opportunities between Dundalk Institute of Technology and Queen’s University Belfast.”
“We look forward to further developments with this partnership to expand education, research, and cross-border collaboration to boost the Dublin–Belfast corridor.”
