Auckland tertiary merger possible

By DITA DE BONI

The cash-rich Auckland College of Education and the University of Auckland are considering a merger in time for the start of classes in 2004, pending Government approval.

The college, which has about $16 million in reserves and is the largest trainer of teachers in the country, has been wooed by a string of tertiary providers, including the Auckland Institute of Technology - now a university - in 1997 and Massey University in 1999. Both of these were ultimately unsuccessful.

But Auckland University, which has had a long and occasionally rocky history of collaborating with the college to help provide degree courses for budding teachers, says no money will change hands if a merger occurs.

It is envisaged that the college, which has a staff of about 550 and more than 7000 full- and part-time students, would become a faculty within the university under the proposal.

It would remain on its present site in Epsom, but some education-related programmes may be offered at other Auckland University sites.

The councils of both institutions are considering the shape of the merger.

Tertiary Education Minister Steve Maharey will have the final say on any proposal.

The college and the university suffered a blow-out of their relationship in the mid-1990s, when the college ended a partnership with the university over what it perceived to be a lack of control over the conjoint bachelor of education degree offered to trainee teachers.

Professor Raewyn Dalziel, deputy vice-chancellor (academic) at the university, admitted the institutions had not been extremely close until a jointly run Institute of Education was established in March.

The proposal would benefit both parties but "we have not even discussed or thought for a minute that the amalgamation would mean an economic windfall to the university over this deal ... It's the last thing on our minds," she said.

Professor Dalziel said she rated the chances of Mr Maharey's approving the merger as very high. "The Government has called for universities and colleges of education to work more closely together."

Dr John Langley, principal of the college, said it would benefit by being able to collaborate with the university on research projects, but he said the benefits would cut both ways.

"The difference between these negotiations and others that have gone before is that both parties to it are in a strong position, institutionally and financially.

"We are not doing this because we need each other, but it's fair to say teacher education has been fragmented in the past and it's time sensible decisions were made."

He said there was no intention to cut costs but that at some stage areas where the institutions were "doubling-up" would be looked at.

Mr Maharey told the Herald that he would have to follow a consultation process before making a decision on the proposal.

Because he had to keep an "open mind" he could not give a personal opinion on the merger.

But the Education (Tertiary Reform) Amendment Act passed last week meant he "must now not only be satisfied that the proposal is academically robust, but also that it is in the best interests of the tertiary education system and the nation as a whole".

* The Auckland University of Technology (AUT) and the Unitec polytechnic in Mt Albert are making progress in their merger talks, with costs, benefits and potential risks being assessed by both institutions' councils. No formal proposal has yet been sent to the Government.

Comparing numbers


UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND


Staff: 1561 academic, 1732 general.

Students (part- and full-time): 29,465.

Government revenue: $169 million.

Other revenue: $201.5 million.

Surplus: $13 million.

(source: 2001 annual report)

AUCKLAND COLLEGE OF EDUCATION

Staff: 349 academic, 208 general.

Students: (postgraduate, degree and diploma): 7199.

Government revenue: $42.8 million.

Other revenue: $40.7 million.

Surplus: $2 million.

(source: 2001 annual report)