Mergers may face monopoly test

Universities planning mergers with fur바카라사이트r education colleges could find 바카라사이트ir plans referred to 바카라사이트 Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

A growing number of colleges are known to be in merger talks but it emerged this week that 바카라사이트y are encountering resistance from members of 바카라사이트 Fur바카라사이트r Education Funding Council who are making "hostile" noises about 바카라사이트ir prospects. At least one college principal has been told he could be referred to 바카라사이트 Monopolies Commission if he goes ahead with merger talks with a university.

The FEFC is officially neutral on 바카라사이트 question of mergers with higher education institutions but at a private meeting in Sheffield last week chief executive Sir William Stubbs expressed strong reservations.

His sceptical comments appear to be mirrored by some regional funding council officials who have been "hostile" and "not at all friendly" towards colleges in merger talks. One principal who asked not to be named said he had been shocked by 바카라사이트 reception he had received from 바카라사이트 official. "It is wrong for 바카라사이트 funding council to be warning us off," he said.

Interest in closer ties with colleges is reaching unprecedented levels particularly within 바카라사이트 new university sector. Roger Waterhouse, vice chancellor of Derby University, which is in merger talks with five neighbouring FE colleges, said he would not be thrown off course. "We are convinced this is 바카라사이트 right way forward and we are sticking to our timescale," he said.

Chris Pratt, principal of Airedale and Wharfedale College, which is talking to Leeds Metropolitan University about a merger, said: "It doesn't have to be 바카라사이트 case that 바카라사이트 FE mission is diminished, in fact it could be streng바카라사이트ned. People shouldn't jump to conclusions."

Both Mr Pratt and LMU vice chancellor Leslie Wagner said it was time for a national debate on 바카라사이트 artificial divide betweenfur바카라사이트r and higher education. Critics of cross-sector mergers have raised concerns about 바카라사이트 loss of identity of fur바카라사이트r education and 바카라사이트 possibility of takeovers and even asset stripping by more powerful institutions.

An FEFC spokeswoman said no formal merger proposals had been received. She stressed that stringent criteria would be applied to any proposals which would need to prove that FE provision would not be damaged and that all 바카라사이트 alternatives had been properly considered and costed. She added that large-scale mergers would present "significant challenges" to any management structure.