Heythrop- St Mary’s merger talks delayed

Negotiations to merge Heythrop College with St Mary’s University, Twickenham, are to be delayed at least a month as the Jesuit-run college in Kensington seeks more time to hold further internal discussions.

The news came as Cardinal Vincent Nichols was installed as chancellor of St Mary’s in a ceremony in Westminster Cathedral on Wednesday.

After meeting on Tuesday night, Heythrop’s governors issued a statement saying, “there is a lot to discuss and work through so it is vital that we take our time around this in order that the right decisions are made”.

St Mary’s has previously stated that a final agreement on the merger was expected in early summer.