St Mary’s University and Heythrop College have decided to continue their discussions over a potential partnership with a final decision to be taken in the coming weeks.
Both governing bodies met yesterday to vote on whether to go ahead of the deal.
It seems, however, that they have decided to postpone a final decision until further details about the partnership have been finalised.
A statement released by St Mary’s, based in Twickenham, south-west London said: "The Board of Governors of St Mary’s University has given us the green light to enter final discussions with Heythrop College on the structure of the proposed partnership.”
It went on: “Our guiding principle has always been that any partnership must be for the greater good of both institutions, financially sustainable and to the benefit of Catholic higher education in the UK. With this in mind, we look forward to further detailed talks in the weeks ahead with a final decision to be made during the summer term.”
In their own statement, Heythrop said: "the Governors of Heythrop College considered the progress of talks with St Mary’s University at their meeting on 16 April. Governors agreed to continue those discussions with a view to their being concluded sometime in the summer term. The aim remains a partnership which will promote the teaching and research of theology and philosophy, [and that it will] be in the interests of both institutions and be of benefit to the mission of the Church and to wider society."
St Mary’s is a young, growing university situated on a 50-acre site while Heythrop is a 400-year-old Jesuit-run institution set in a secluded square off High Street Kensington, in central London.
Discussions between the two have been ongoing since last summer after Heythrop, which specialises in Theology and Philosophy, approached St Mary’s about a possible partnership.
The college, which is part of the University of London, is coping with a £600,000 budget shortfall and has decided it will not admit undergraduates from September.
If ther merger went through it would mark a significant development in the future of Catholic higher education.
St Mary's, whose Chancellor is Cardinal Vincent Nichols, started life as a teacher training college and was awarded full university status last year.
Under its current Vice-Chancellor, Francis Campbell - former British Ambassador to the Holy See - the university is seeking to develope a reputation for academic research and has appointed the former President of Ireland Mary McAleese and Cherie Booth QC as visiting lecturers.
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