It's hoped that the current final year students of AIT will graduate with a university degree.
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Simon Harris TD has formally designated AIT and LIT as Ireland's next technological university.
The new university will border almost half of Ireland's 26 counties, and provide increased levels of access to higher education.
President of AIT Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin says it will also enable the IDA attract more foreign companies to the region by highlighting the potential of high-level access to research and knowledge transfer to industry.
Professor Ó Catháin says there will be no change to registration fees for students and they expect to have the new status in place legally for students sitting fnal year exams:
