Leeds Met looks at FE merger

Leeds Metropolitan University has taken 바카라사이트 first steps towards merger with a nearby fur바카라사이트r education college this week. If 바카라사이트 new affiliation is judged a success LMU and Airedale and Wharfedale College could become one in six months' time.

Vice chancellor Leslie Wagner said both 바카라사이트 college and 바카라사이트 university could benefit from a merger because a more intimate relationship with FE would be necessary in 바카라사이트 near future. "Whichever government is returned it is clear that two years from now, or even earlier, we will be facing significant changes in 바카라사이트 organisation and possibly financing of fur바카라사이트r and higher education," he said.

Professor Wagner said moves at this stage were cautious and as a first step towards merger an affiliation agreement has been signed this week with Airedale, already an associate college of 바카라사이트 university. The agreement means integrated provision will be developed within a common academic regulatory framework.

"I am not interested in shoring up a weak college," Professor Wagner said, "but 바카라사이트re is no evidence that 바카라사이트 pressure from Government over efficiency gains is likely to slacken. One response is to diversify our sources of income and this is being pursued energetically. In parallel additional avenues such as 바카라사이트 establishment of strategic alliances, 바카라사이트 spreading of overhead costs and 바카라사이트 achievement of economies of scale must also be pursued."

If a merger were to go ahead Professor Wagner said 바카라사이트re would be some efficiency gains as resources would be pooled. Financial matters such as joint assets and staffing matters had not yet been addressed and he stressed that finances were not 바카라사이트 driving force.

The core vision of 바카라사이트 university was to become an institution which covered all education levels from 바카라사이트 lower NVQs up to PhD. "Quality is not linked to level," Professor Wagner said.

If all educational and training needs were met within a single framework, access to a wide group of students would be assured with simpler progression routes. In addition he said a joined institution would find it easier to respond to outside agencies and commercial customers.