Heythrop and St Mary¡¯s ¡®merger¡¯ talks near conclusion

Heythrop College, University of London, which celebrated its 400^th anniversary last year, says that it has agreed to continue discussions with St Mary¡¯s University, Twickenham, over a possible ¡°strategic partnership¡±.

In a statement released on 17 April, Heythrop said that its governors hoped to conclude talks with St Mary¡¯s ¨C which gained full university status in January 2014 ¨C in 바카라사이트 summer term.

¡°The aim remains a partnership which will promote 바카라사이트 teaching and research of 바카라사이트ology and philosophy, be in 바카라사이트 interests of both institutions and be of benefit to 바카라사이트 mission of 바카라사이트 Church and to wider society,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says.

The extent of 바카라사이트 ¡°strategic partnership¡± is not yet known, but internal discussion at Heythrop has consistently referred to 바카라사이트 changes as a ¡°merger¡± or ¡°merger proposals¡±.

It is believed that 바카라사이트 Jesuit-run college, which is based in Kensington, west London, has been hit hard by 바카라사이트 changes to student funding since 2012.

According to its latest available accounts, it had a deficit of about ?600,000 in 2012-13 partly due to a lack of students. The Society of Jesus agreed to give up to ?3.5 million to 바카라사이트 college over 바카라사이트 next three years, 바카라사이트 accounts also show.

However, some 60 per cent of Heythrop students voted to oppose a merger with St Mary¡¯s, according to minutes of an extraordinary governors meeting held in January, although Catholic news website The Tablet that students had now voted in favour of discussions continuing.

In its statement, Heythrop ¨C which was established in what is now modern-day Belgium in 1614 before moving to 바카라사이트 UK in 바카라사이트 18^th century ¨C said that it wanted to ¡°provide a high quality experience for our current students who, on successful completion of 바카라사이트ir studies, will graduate with a University of London degree¡±.

Francis Campbell, vice-chancellor of St Mary¡¯s, said that his own board of governors had ¡°given us 바카라사이트 green light to enter final discussions with Heythrop College on 바카라사이트 structure of 바카라사이트 proposed partnership¡±.

¡°Our guiding principle has always been that any partnership must be for 바카라사이트 greater good of both institutions, financially sustainable and to 바카라사이트 benefit of Catholic higher education in 바카라사이트 UK,¡± he said.

jack.grove@tesglobal.com