Waterford Institute of Technology was originally established in 1970 as a regional technical college. In 1998 it was granted Institute of Technology status and has since become one of the largest of its kind in Ireland.
There are both undergraduate and postgraduate courses available at the institute. They are organised into six schools: business; engineering; lifelong learning and education; health sciences; humanities, and science.
Outside of the classroom students are encouraged to get involved in the institute＊s extracurricular activities. WIT Vikings Sport has over 30 clubs for students to join, from martial arts to water and adventure sports. There are also over 30 academic and cultural societies to meet a wide range of interests.
The institute is recognised across the country for its high quality research centres. It has created an academic research community through collaborations and peer review publications. The institute＊s main areas of research are bio-pharma, communications networks, mobile services, and advanced manufacturing. All postgraduate masters and PhD students are given the opportunity to carry out research with some of the leading research centres around the world.
The institute is located in Waterford, a city in southeastern Ireland. Waterford is the oldest and fifth most populous city in the country. The city is known for Waterford Crystal, its former glassmaking industry between 1783 and 2009. The factory was shut down in 2009 but a new one was opened in 2010 and resumed production. The city＊s rich history has been preserved through the stone fortress of Reginald＊s Tower, which provides an insight into Viking Waterford. There is also the Medieval Museum and the Bishop＊s Palace, both offering an exploration into the city＊s history.
