WA universities kept in the dark over plans to merge Murdoch, Curtin and UWA following investigation

Frustrated WA universities say they are still in the dark over government plans to merge the State’s tertiary institutions, with a report into the mergers still under lock and key. Despite the Cook Government having been handed the results of a six-month investigation into the possible mergers of three of the State’s major universities in January, universities are being kept in the dark about the findings. Under a plan being investigated by the Cook Government, Murdoch, Curtin and UWA universities could be merged into one mega tertiary institution. Statements issued to The Sunday Times this week by university representatives lay bare the frustrations at not knowing what the future holds. “We remain of the view that the State is best served by having four public universities, each with its own special characteristics,” Murdoch University Vice Chancellor Professor Andrew Deeks told The Sunday Times. “Institutional autonomy is widely considered to be the cornerstone of a strong university system. “We remain focused on supporting the WA community through our core activities of teaching, learning, research and engagement.” UWA and Curtin representatives said their institutions were none the wiser about what the government had in store for their universities, despite the government announcing last July an investigation into what could be the biggest shake-up of the State’s tertiary institutions in decades. “We are aware the State Government is still considering options, but not aware of any outcome,” a UWA spokesperson said. “We look forward to hearing the Government’s decision as to how best we can move forward.” Curtin University issued this statement to The Sunday Times: “Rest assured, Curtin is monitoring this, and we will act in the best interests of students, staff and the state of Western Australia, if and when information is made available.” Former Labor Minister Alannah MacTiernan confirmed to The Sunday Times this week that her investigation into merging WA universities had been handed to WA International Education Minister Tony Buti in January. She said Edith Cowan University, which has built new premises in the Perth CBD, had been excluded from the investigation. Ms MacTiernan told The Sunday Times three options had been investigated – the University of Western Australia merging with Murdoch University, the University of Western Australia merging with Curtin University – or all three universities merging into one mega tertiary institution. The Sunday Times understands merging Murdoch with UWA - previously investigated in 1989 - was the least favoured option. The State Government this week refused to release any details of the 2025 government review, which followed another review in 2023. It’s understood that the substantial price tag of merging WA’s universities is a major sticking point for Treasurer Rita Saffioti. The merger of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia has been reported as $450 million. “The Cook Labor Government wants WA’s university sector to deliver the best possible outcomes for students, staff and the wider community and is considering the findings of those reviews,” a government spokesperson said. Despite WA’s universities operating independently - securing federal and state funding - the WA Government could force mergers by passing legislation in the Parliament. UWA says it is open to “discussions on the future of WA universities”. But it warns the case for mergers would need to be solid. “We’ve also been clear that any proposal to merge WA universities would need to be backed up by a sound business rationale and offer significant benefits to students and the WA community,” a UWA spokesperson said. Ms MacTiernan said it was important WA had the right mix of universities. “Part of our terms of reference was to work how we get the best outcomes in terms of excellence for our universities and a proper share of the national research funding,” Ms MacTiernan said. “That is incredibly important for our State, in terms of underpinning educational and economic diversification. “And that’s what we were asked to consider.”