MOVES to merge the Mount Gambier campus of UniSA into a “super-size” tertiary institution have been abandoned.
The purpose-built Wireless Road West campus has offered face-to-face training for education and nursing degrees for several years.
Since June, the University of Adelaide and UniSA have been jointly exploring the opportunities and challenges of creating a new university for South Australia and this would have impacted in some measure on the tertiary facility in the Blue Lake city.
The chancellors of both institutions announced last week the two universities had finished their discussions about a potential merger.
The councils of the two universities had met the previous day to consider an interim report on a merger and their positions on key threshold issues and strategic risks.
The merger discussions ended at this time, rather than progressing to a decision in December.
University of Adelaide chancellor Kevin Scarce and UniSA chancellor Pauline Carr issued a joint statement.
“Speculation about a potential merger of universities within South Australia has existed for decades,” they said.
“For the first time and under our own initiative, our two universities agreed to investigate a potential merger, advancing the concept further than ever before.
“Right from the start, our universities identified key threshold issues and strategic risks which required agreement from both sides.
“Ultimately, our universities were unable to reach agreement on the threshold issues and strategic risks.
“Rather than engaging in further exploration of a potential merger, we feel it is in each university’s best interests to bring our discussions to a close at this time.”
The two chancellors said they acknowledged and respected the hard work done by both universities to date in exploring the potential for a merger.
“We also acknowledge and thank our communities – our staff, students, alumni, business and industry stakeholders and the broader community – for their invaluable input into this process.
“The consultation has helped to affirm the importance of higher education in this state.
“We will keep our focus on contributing to the further development of the state and nation as we pursue our separate missions as successful, individual institutions.
“As we said at the start of this process, both of our universities have unique histories and we have both evolved to meet the needs of each generation.”
The third university in the state is Flinders, established in the Adelaide suburb of Bedford Park in 1966.
