Potential Waiariki merger concerns

Grahame Hall

A former chairman of Waiariki Institute of Technology says he has "serious reservations" about a potential merger with its Tauranga counterpart.

Grahame Hall, a former Rotorua mayor, was the chairman of Waiariki for its first 11 years.

He said he believed Rotorua and its students could suffer if the merger went ahead, a concern Waiariki denies.

The councils of Waiariki Institute of Technology and Bay of Plenty Polytechnic this week announced the formation of a single merged entity was their preferred option and were now seeking feedback.

Mr Hall, who is also a past president of the Polytechnic Association of New Zealand, said while he wasn't aware of all the details, he didn't think it was the right move.

"I just hope they know what they are doing and I hope they have done their homework."

He said the word "merger" dictated "you lose your character and identity".

"I don't know the detail, I just wonder if the polytechnic will be better off in the long-term because of it."

Mr Hall said Tauranga as a region continued to grow and he was worried any merger would have a negative impact on Rotorua.

He believed Rotorua should push hard for more collaboration while retaining its own identity and character.

"I don't think a merger will be in the best interest of our students. It is another case of big brother being the winner."

Mr Hall said he believed the public should be better informed of all the benefits and negatives from a merger before the decision was made.

However, Waiariki director of finance and corporate services Paul Wollaston said combining the resources and expertise of the two institutes would "enable the enhancement of the current provision of education".

"These include greater investment in alternative methods of education delivery, to increase access and boost student achievement, as well as increasing access to tertiary education in some of our region's more remote areas."

Mr Wollaston said there would be emphasis on youth transition to tertiary education and better delivery of vocational and professional programmes that met the community's needs.