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Costs kills Lincoln AgResearch merger

Rural News
Costs kills Lincoln AgResearch merger

Economic reality has killed off the proposed merger between Lincoln University and AgResearch that proponents claimed would have created one of the best land-based universities in the world reports The Straight Furrow. The euphoria that surrounded the radical proposal for a full merger three months ago has now dissipated into talk of a partnership on an issue by issue basis. Under the original proposal AgResearch would most likely have gone out of existence and become part of an enlarged Lincoln University. Many AgResearch staff would have undertaken teaching roles at the university. AgResearch chairman Sam Robinson, a Waipukurau sheep and beef farmer, said the original concept was "really fantastic''. "But when we sat down and did the hard work with the executives and scientists in both organisations, assisted by external consultants we identified a lot of costs we hadn't fully understood in the first look at it.''He said they also found many of the benefits of joining the two organisations could be achieved without going through with the full merger. They could be achieved by working together on a case by case basis. Mr Robinson said the Crown had been supportive of the proposal, but made it clear no Crown funding would be available. Mr Robinson the two organisations would now work together in three areas: teaching, commercialisation and technical transfer. AgResearch staff would be involved with teaching postgraduate students.  "Lincoln has a higher demand that its ability to supply, and AgResearch across four campuses has got some world-renowned and very experienced scientists able to act in a supervisory role.'' AgResearch was very strong in commercialising science, while Lincoln was strong in research it was not so strong in commercialisation. "By working together we can help develop the science through to commercialisation.'' Mr Robinson said the third area the two organisations planned to work together was in technology transfer and technology uptake.Professor Field said that the partnership would now create some "stronger research platforms and enhanced commercialisation''. "I'm sure that will create some further opportunities for postgraduate supervision involving AgResearch. We're still keen to do something quite significant with technology transfer and extension teaching, and to do something more for the key sectors we support.'' <br/><br/>

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