Merger on cards for institutes

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and Waiariki Institute of Technology (pictured) in Rotorua could amalgamate. Photo / File

Amalgamation could be on the cards for the Bay's two largest tertiary institutes - Bay of Plenty Polytechnic and the Rotorua-based Waiariki Institute of Technology.

Bay of Plenty Polytechnic council chairman Ian Turner said anything from keeping the status quo to full amalgamation would be considered in a consultation to determine the level of collaboration between the two institutes.

Collaboration between tertiary institutes is encouraged under the Tertiary Education Commission's strategy for 2014 to 2019.

"We're considering a range of options," Mr Turner said. "We're trying to work out what the best way is for us to collaborate so we can increase our delivery of programmes throughout the whole region. We think this is really exciting."

Mr Turner said he would like to have an answer by the middle of the year.

The two tertiary institutes are already co-operating to establish a new $88 million tertiary campus in Tauranga's downtown. The other partners in the project were the University of Waikato and Whakatane's Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi.

Mr Turner said both institutes wanted to find ways to increase tertiary education delivery options to a wider range of people.

"We're aware there is a growing population in outlying parts of the region that don't currently get the sort of offerings that people living in Tauranga, Rotorua or Taupo get.

"We've got to try and encourage people into tertiary vocational study . . . we think there are opportunities for greater collaboration."

Mr Turner would not reveal the cost of the consultation process and said the price was commercially sensitive.

"We want to achieve an increase in our outcomes. How we go about that will inevitably mean some changes, unless we decide we won't pursue anything."

He expected the proposal to go out for consultation on a set of options in two to three months' time.

Waiariki Institute of Technology did not respond before deadline to requests for further comment.