Merger slips

Curtin University’s council and Murdoch University’s senate have been forced to defer meetings scheduled for this week to make an official decision on their merger because of delays with a merger feasibility report.

The report is being prepared by a six-member working group that includes Curtin’s deputy vice-chancellor Jeanette Hacket, John Curtin Institute executive director Greg Craven, and Murdoch pro vice-chancellors Gary Martin (strategy) and Ian Callahan (corporate services).

The working group was established in early July, soon after the two universities formally agreed to assess a merger.

It has engaged a range of consult-ants, including accountants KPMG, lawyers Mallesons Stephen Jaques and Johnson Winter & Slattery, and researchers Market Equity.

It also commissioned reports on three aspects of the merger: teaching and learning; research and development; and administration.

Assuming the feasibility study is approved, probably in the next few weeks, Curtin and Murdoch would sign a heads of agreement and commence detailed due diligence and integration planning.

The two universities had been aiming to review the business case and make a final merger decision by December but that timeline is now looking shaky. The formal merger would follow the passage of state government legislation, tentatively scheduled for August 2006.