Sir, I write in response to Ms Mary Malone's letter of February 11th Ms Malone refers to the hysterical reaction and begrudgery emanating from Cork in respect of the proposed upgrading of Waterford RTC and the failure to recognise Cork Institute of Technology.
Is it begrudgery to mention that the engineering degrees taught at
Waterford do not have professional accreditation from the Institution of Engineers of Ireland? Is it hysterical to advert to the fact that the engineering degrees at the Cork college (mechanical and manufacturing, chemical and process, electronic) have long established national and international professional accreditation in Ireland through the IEI, in the EU through FEANI, and in the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, China and others through the Washington Accord?
Ms. Malone's reference to "spoiled child" behaviour indicates an immaturity of logic in someone who wishes to comment on a matter as important to my future as the status of my college. Was I behaving childishly when, over the last 12 years, I sat through professional accreditation and reaccreditation processes including panel visits from national and international technical expert groups? Am I behaving in a "polite" manner when object to the Department of Education deciding arbitrarily to upgrade Waterford, and subsequently setting up a committee to decide on the criteria and processes for upgrading?
Ms. Malone (and she is in very elevated company here) mistakes geographical and political considerations for the exacting academic and professional standards required. Institute of technology status is based on academic and professional criteria i.e. the ability to achieve and maintain national and international professional accreditation of higher level courses. The Cork college has demonstrated, over many years, its ability to fulfil this essential.
Finally, I would like to express severe reservations as to the composition of the expert panel set up by the Minister. This panel contains no representatives from the professional engineering bodies, no representatives from industry and none from a neutral international academic background. It is difficult to imagine such a body establishing a fair set of criteria and process for upgrading. Mise le meas, Abbeyview, Kinsale, Co. Cork.