IT Carlow and Waterford IT have been planning a joint application for the formation of a TU, TUSE, for the south east region since the mid-2010s. A vision document, "Technological University for the South East" (TUSE) was published in 2015, and a memorandum of understanding was signed in 2017. At the launch of TU Dublin in July 2018, the Taoiseach expressed regret that this TUSE bid had not progressed sufficiently following the "Technological Universities Act 2018". Staff of IT Carlow, rejected the current plan for the TU in June 2019. A formal application is expected in .