University Mergers–So what?

So two South Wales Universities are going to merge. I quote:

Two south Wales universities are to merge in a move they claim will allow them to compete on the world stage. Glamorgan and Newport say the new institution will rival the size of Cardiff University, give students more opportunities and boost the economy.

Oh! very nice. Most excellent. So presumably by merging the 2 universities, it will become big, give more opportunities and boost the economy. Most good and wonderful idea. Here is another idea, why don't we merge every Welsh University into a big ass university? Or why don't we have ONE giant British university? That should really give a giant size, more opportunities and boost the economy.

Mergers usually have a very bad success rate, some links are given here, here and here. One can usually aim for about 50-70% of mergers failing to meet their objectives. At best, you can have some positive effects on cost efficiencies. So lets not fool ourselves about this merger.

Here’s an idea, why don't we hock say 25% of the respective Vice Chancellors or whoever is sponsoring the merger and only give that money to them provided their stated benefits (in hard $ terms with audited numbers on improved opportunities or increase in economic benefits) are achieved in say 3 years time. HA!, fat chance.

Watch and see how public money is pissed away some more on a silly merger plan. If the universities are crap, then joining them together is just a bigger pile of crap. What you do with crap is to flush it, not join them together. Sorry to be disgusting, but the state of Welsh education is really painful to watch and observe. Constantly the powers that be are letting down the Welsh people..

I'm reminded of the quote by John Ciardi, “A university is what a college becomes when the faculty loses interest in the students.” That’s what the Welsh system is heading to…