MP Criticises Glyndwr & Bangor Uni Merge ‘Agenda’

Local MP Ian Lucas has written to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales expressing his concern over an ‘agenda’ to merge Bangor and Glyndwr Universities.

Mr Lucas’s open letter states “I am very disturbed that I have heard from a number of sources that HEFCW is pursuing an agenda of merging Glyndwr University with Bangor University.

“I want you to be clear that this proposal is entirely unacceptable to me and to the people I represent.

“It was also opposed by this region as a whole when the previous Higher Education Minister proposed it, leading to a campaign within the region which led to the Webb Review.

“The Webb Review also rejected the option of a merger with Bangor or Aberystwyth Universities.”

Mr Lucas states he has tried to set up a meeting to express his views directly however with no joy.

Uncertainty still remains over Glyndwr Uni’s ‘Highly Trusted Status’ for sponsoring some foreign student visas which was suspended back in June this year, with the most recent extension to respond to concerns extended until October 8th.

Previously we have reported a year ago on proposals to merge Coleg Cambria and Glyndwr Uni, which were scrapped, and back in the tail end of 2011 plans to merge the Uni with Aberystwyth were also scrapped.