An institute of technology (also referred to as technological/technology university/college, technical university/college, university/college of technology, polytechnic university) is an institution of tertiary education that specializes in engineering, technology, applied science, and natural sciences.
Institutes of technology versus polytechnics
The institutes of technology and polytechnics have been in existence since at least the 18th century, but became popular after World War II with the expansion of engineering and applied science education, associated with the new needs created by industrialization. Among the oldest institutions of technology are the Czech Technical University in Prague (1707), Braunschweig University of Technology (1745), Istanbul Technical University (1773), Budapest University of Technology and Economics (1782), and the École Polytechnique in Paris (1794). In some cases, polytechnics or institutes of technology are engineering schools or technical colleges.
In several countries, like Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Switzerland, Turkey, institutes of technology are institutions of higher education and have been accredited to award academic degrees and doctorates. Famous examples are the Istanbul Technical University, ETH Zurich, Delft University of Technology, Politecnico di Milano and RWTH Aachen all considered universities.
In countries like Iran, Finland, Malaysia, Portugal, Singapore or the United Kingdom, there is often a significant and confused distinction between polytechnics and universities. In the UK, a binary system of higher education emerged consisting of universities (research orientation) and polytechnics (engineering and applied science and professional practice orientation). Polytechnics offered university equivalent degrees mainly in STEM subjects from bachelor's, master's and PhD that were validated and governed at the national level by the independent UK Council for National Academic Awards. In 1992, UK polytechnics were designated as universities which meant they could award their own degrees. The CNAA was disbanded. The UK's first polytechnic, the Royal Polytechnic Institution (now the University of Westminster), was founded in 1838 in Regent Street, London. In Ireland the term "institute of technology" is the more favored synonym of a "regional technical college" though the latter is the legally correct term; however, Dublin Institute of Technology was a university in all but name as it can confer degrees in accordance with law; Cork Institute of Technology and other Institutes of Technology have delegated authority from HETAC to make awards to and including master's degree level—Level 9 of Ireland's National Framework for Qualifications (NFQ)—for all areas of study and Doctorate level in a number of others. In 2018, Ireland passed the Technological Universities Act, which allowed a number of Institutes of Technology to transform into Technological Universities.
In a number of countries, although now generally considered similar institutions of higher learning, polytechnics and institutes of technology used to have quite different statures, teaching competences, and organizational histories. In many cases, "polytechnic" were elite technological universities concentrating on applied science and engineering and may also be a former designation for a vocational institution, before it has been granted the exclusive right to award academic degrees and can be truly called an "institute of technology". A number of polytechnics providing higher education is simply a result of a formal upgrading from their original and historical role as intermediate technical education schools. In some situations, former polytechnics or other non-university institutions have emerged solely through an administrative change of statutes, which often included a name change with the introduction of new designations like "institute of technology", "polytechnic university", "university of applied sciences" or "university of technology" for marketing purposes. Such emergence of so many upgraded polytechnics, former vocational education and technical schools converted into more university-like institutions has caused concern where the lack of specialized intermediate technical professionals lead to industrial skill shortages in some fields, being also associated to an increase of the graduate unemployment rate. This is mostly the case in those countries, where the education system is not controlled by the state and any institution can grant degrees. Evidence have also shown a decline in the general quality of teaching and graduate's preparation for the workplace, due to the fast-paced conversion of that technical institutions to more advanced higher level institutions. Mentz, Kotze and Van der Merwe argue that all the tools are in place to promote the debate on the place of technology in higher education in general and in universities of technology specifically and they posit several questions for the debate.
Institutes by country
Argentina
In Argentina, the main higher institution devoted to the study of technology is the National Technological University which has Regional Faculties throughout Argentina. The Buenos Aires Institute of Technology (ITBA) and Balseiro Institute are other recognized institutes of technology.
Australia
1970s–1990s
During the 1970s to early 1990s, the term was used to describe state owned and funded technical schools that offered both vocational and higher education. They were part of the College of Advanced Education system. In the 1990s most of these merged with existing universities or formed new ones of their own. These new universities often took the title University of Technology, for marketing rather than legal purposes. AVCC report The most prominent such university in each state founded the Australian Technology Network a few years later.
1990s–today
Since the mid-1990s, the term has been applied to some technically minded technical and further education (TAFE) institutes. A recent example is the Melbourne Polytechnic rebranding and repositioning in 2014 from Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE. These primarily offer vocational education, although some like Melbourne Polytechnic are expanding into higher education offering vocationally oriented applied bachelor's degrees. This usage of the term is most prevalent historically in NSW and the ACT. The new terminology is apt given that this category of institution are becoming very much like the institutes of the 1970s–1990s period.
In 2009, the old college system in Tasmania and TAFE Tasmania have started a 3-year restructure to become the Tasmanian Polytechnic www.polytechnic.tas.edu.au, Tasmanian Skills Institute www.skillsinstitute.tas.edu.au and Tasmanian Academy www.academy.tas.edu.au
In the higher education sector, there are seven designated universities of technology in Australia (though, note, not all use the phrase "university of technology", such as the Universities of Canberra and South Australia, which used to be Colleges of Advanced Education before transitioning into fully-fledged universities with the ability – most important of all – to confer doctorates):
Curtin University, Western Australia
Queensland University of Technology, Queensland
Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Victoria
Swinburne University of Technology, Victoria
University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
University of South Australia, South Australia
University of Technology Sydney, New South Wales
Austria
Universities of technology
These institutions are entitled to confer habilitation and doctoral degrees and focus on research.
Graz University of Technology (13,454 students, founded 1811, Hochschule since 1865, doctoral degrees since 1901, university since 1975)
TU Wien (27,923 students, founded 1815, Hochschule since 1872, doctoral degrees since 1901, university since 1975)
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna focused on agriculture (12,500 students, founded as Hochschule in 1872, doctoral degrees since 1906, university since 1975)
University of Leoben specialized in mining, metallurgy and materials (4,030 students, founded 1840, Hochschule since 1904, doctoral degrees since 1906, university since 1975)
Research institutions
These institutions focus only on research.
Austrian Institute of Technology (founded 1956)
Institute of Science and Technology Austria (founded 2007)
Technical faculties at universities
Several universities have faculties of technology that are entitled to confer habilitation and doctoral degrees and which focus on research.
Johannes Kepler University Linz (Faculty of Engineering and Natural Sciences founded 1965, university since 1975)
University of Innsbruck (Faculty of Civil Engineering founded 1969)
Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt (Faculty of Technical Sciences founded 2007)
Fachhochschulen
Fachhochschule is a German type of tertiary education institution and adopted later in Austria and Switzerland. They do not focus exclusively on technology, but may also offer courses in social science, medicine, business and design. They grant bachelor's degrees and master's degrees and focus more on teaching than research and more on specific professions than on science.
In 2010, there were 20 Fachhochschulen in Austria
Bangladesh
There are some public engineering universities and colleges in Bangladesh:
Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET). Formerly known as Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Chittagong.
Khulna University of Engineering and Technology (KUET). Formerly known as Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Khulna
Rajshahi University of Engineering and Technology (RUET). Formerly known as Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Rajshahi.
Dhaka University of Engineering and Technology (DUET). Formerly known as Bangladesh Institute of Technology, Dhaka.
Sylhet Engineering College (SEC) which is affiliated with the Faculty of Applied Sciences & Technology, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology.
Mymensingh Engineering College (MEC) which is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka.
Faridpur Engineering College (FEC) which is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka.
Barisal Engineering College (BEC) which is affiliated with the Faculty of Engineering & Technology, University of Dhaka.
There are some general, technological and specialized universities in Bangladesh offer engineering programs:
University of Chittagong. Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
University of Dhaka. Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
University of Khulna. Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Technology.
University of Rajshahi. Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Engineering and Technology.
Islamic University, Bangladesh (IU). Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology.
Shahjalal University of Science and Technology. Engineering programs offer under the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology.