CANBERRA, Oct. 18 (Xinhua) -- A parliamentary committee in South Australia (SA) has found the significant benefits of a proposal to merge the state's two biggest universities would outweigh the risks.
The Joint Committee on the Establishment of Adelaide University on Tuesday tabled its final report into the amalgamation of the University of Adelaide and the University of South Australia in the state's parliament, finding that on balance, the merger would "advance the economic and social interests of South Australia."
The committee was established in July to inspect a landmark deal between the state government and universities, under which the government agreed to boost research funding for the new institution by 200 million Australian dollars (127.3 million U.S. dollars) and spend 114 million AUD (72.5 million dollars) purchasing new university land.
If the parliament votes to pass legislation merging the two universities, the new Adelaide University would open to domestic and international students in January 2026.
According to projections in the merger deal, by 2034, student enrollments at Adelaide University would surpass 74,000, making it one of Australia's biggest universities.
The inquiry heard from 47 experts and received almost 100 written submissions on the proposal, and "the committee received evidence suggesting that, if the parliament of South Australia was reluctant to undertake higher education reform, the state's university sector is likely to become increasingly less competitive." ■