Western Australian government proposes mega-university merger

The Western Australian government has announced plans to develop a business case for a potential merger of three major public institutions: Curtin University, the University of Western Australia (UWA), and Murdoch University. Premier Roger Cook stated the move aims to increase competitiveness and attract more research funding, noting that local universities have seen a decline in rankings.

The proposal has met significant resistance from academic leaders and staff. Curtin University Vice-Chancellor Harlene Hayne announced that the institution will “vigorously oppose” a forced merger, citing concerns over costs, waste, and the loss of institutional legacy. Hayne argued that a mega-university of approximately 120,000 students would bring complexity rather than competitiveness.

The National Tertiary Education Union reported that a survey of Western Australian university staff showed opposition to the merger outweighed support by nearly six to one. While the government intends to use a steering committee to guide the business case, Premier Cook suggested that if the merger proceeds, the universities themselves should fund the process using their own resources and land rather than taxpayer money.