Merger profile for Lincoln University

Merger advantages with AgResearch/ Lincoln University partnership:

• Unprecedented critical mass and concentration of expertise in areas  essential to the nation's economic and environmental future. New opportunities to do wider range of research "“ from "˜blue skies' to highly applied. Better integrated research effort resulting in new products and solutions. New research will increase the pastoral sector's productivity (high value, safe pastoral sector goods) while protecting New Zealand's environment. Re-establish emphasis on extending knowledge and technologies to New Zealand farmers.
• Effectively and efficiently combining education and research in a way the two individual organisations cannot. Increased revenue through synergies between teaching and contract R & D. Greatly raise the profile of the sophistication and range of land-based industries as a career. Higher brand recognition internationally. Enhanced ability to recruit top quality staff and students, both domestically and internationally. Producing more relevantly-educated graduates for the land-based industries.
• New, specifically designed education courses for land-based professionals and extension activities to benefit Māori land incorporations and other holdings. The merged organisation will be better able to obtain funding internationally. Greater funding stability and security of revenue. Enhanced career opportunities and diversity for staff. Much stronger "voice for the land-based industries" will lead to greater impact with policy makers, end users, media and stakeholders. Other advanced economies have already undertaken such mergers (e.g. Denmark, Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Canada and Norway). Examples of top international land-based universities are Cornell (US), Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University (Denmark), and Wageningen UR (The Netherlands).