"A historic day" is how the president of Athlone Chamber of Commerce has described the beginning of a new era of education for the region with the establishment of the Technological University of the Shannon.
Over 14,000 students and 2,000 staff across six campuses are now working in the TUS: Midlands Midwest.
51 years after a regional Technical College was first established in Athlone, the town now has a university, after AIT and LIT's ambitious consortium plans were green-lighted earlier this year.
The new TUS logo and branding will feature across campuses in Westmeath, Clare, Limerick and Tipperary. With the college set to worth an estimated €400m to the wider economies in the Midlands and Midwest each year
Vincent Cunnane is the new president of the TUS - he says it is a huge moment for education and the region
A special event to officially launch the new college will take place at the Athletics centre in Athlone this afternoon.
