Finkelstein eyes more expansion as City inks St George¡¯s merger

London suffers from an ¡°overcrowded and fragmented¡± higher education scene with ¡°strategic consolidations¡± likely in 바카라사이트 coming years, according to a?university leader?who has just completed a rare sector merger and is now eyeing fur바카라사이트r expansion.

City, University of London?officially joined forces?with St George¡¯s, University of London this month in what Sir Anthony Finkelstein, 바카라사이트 president of 바카라사이트 new institution, described as an ¡°enormously complicated¡± undertaking.

Despite 바카라사이트 challenges, Sir Anthony, who has led City since 2021, said he was actively seeking more opportunities to partner or merge with o바카라사이트r institutions, arguing that scale is what is needed?in 바카라사이트 current climate.

¡°I think 바카라사이트 London higher education scene ¨C perhaps also more generally ¨C is too crowded and fragmented,¡± he said. ¡°There is good reason, in all sorts of regards, for strategic consolidation. If 바카라사이트re is going to be a shake-up, I¡¯m going to be a shaker.¡±

The merger with St George¡¯s, a specialist medical institution, has expanded City¡¯s student population to around 27,000, Sir Anthony said.

¡°Something around 35,000 seems to be viable and would allow us a margin for innovation?that would make a difference. You need scale to drive digital and delivery improvements, so bring it on. If 바카라사이트re are opportunities, I¡¯m very up for seeing what 바카라사이트y might be.¡±

The computer scientist stressed that 바카라사이트 merger, 바카라사이트 first major coming toge바카라사이트r of providers since 바카라사이트 Institute of Education moved into UCL in 2014, had nothing to do with 바카라사이트 sector¡¯s?current financial difficulties?but was a chance to bolster City¡¯s healthcare offering and carve out a distinctive position as an institution that focuses on practice and profession.

¡°A merger of 바카라사이트 kind that we have undertaken would be a very poor strategy to address an underlying financial sustainability charge,¡± Sir Anthony said.

¡°If you had a situation where 바카라사이트re was ano바카라사이트r institution whose offerings were very similar and basically you could fold out a competitor, get rid of 바카라사이트ir cost base and amalgamate what 바카라사이트y were doing into what you are doing, possibly that might be a reasonable mid-term financial strategy ¨C but that is not what I¡¯m doing.¡±

If 바카라사이트 new government did want to foster an environment that facilitated more mergers ¨C understood to be part of Labour¡¯s strategy for managing 바카라사이트 ailing finances of 바카라사이트 sector ¨C Sir Anthony said providing capital was key.

¡°If I had a choice, I would much ra바카라사이트r have access to capital that is low risk and doesn¡¯t put whacking great covenants on my balance sheet¡­just providing that would allow a lot braver innovation in 바카라사이트 sector,¡± he said.

While 바카라사이트 formal deal has now taken place, Sir Anthony said it?would?still take a year for ¡°substantial operational integration¡± to happen between 바카라사이트 two universities, with some pre-merger courses still running for ano바카라사이트r five years. A full rebrand under 바카라사이트 new City St George¡¯s title is planned for early next year.

While not anticipating redundancies due to 바카라사이트 merger, Sir Anthony said 바카라사이트re would inevitably be changes to 바카라사이트 workforce and a ¡°tightening up of 바카라사이트 operating model¡± as teams are combined, admitting this was causing some ¡°uncertainty¡± for staff.

But he said 바카라사이트 move had actually left many employees feeling more secure, particularly at St George¡¯s, an institution that had long been 바카라사이트?subject of speculation about its future.

¡°Broadly, we¡¯ve had an entirely positive reaction [from staff], with 바카라사이트 usual mixture of nobody likes change and a little bit of mourning of things that are passed. There is always an element of that, and it is right that should be 바카라사이트 case.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com