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 |  | A merger between Warwickshire College, which is based in Leamington and Moreton Morrell, and Rugby College was approved by government minister Margaret Hodge last week.
From this August, the new college will be known as Warwickshire College, Royal Leamington Spa, Rugby and Moreton Morrell - which as well as being a mouthful, will be a better place to learn, according to the people in charge.
They are not the first colleges in the area to join forces. Coventry Technical College and Tile Hill College linked up a few years ago - and are now planning to build a brand new building, accommodating students from both centres.
However, are these moves for the best? There may be more money for better facilities and courses but will the lack of competition created by fewer colleges see students suffer?
ΜύWhat the people in charge think
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| Μύ |  | Warwickshire College principal, Ioan Morgan
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Warwickshire College principal Ioan Morgan will remain at the helm after August and he said the merger would: "Make a significant difference in the subject choices and qualifications available for Warwickshire residents, as the combined three sites will work collaboratively to offer a relevant and varied curriculum.
"This move will ultimately increase learning opportunities and learner participation, which are vital if Warwickshire is to have the highly-skilled individuals needed to meet the current skills gaps in local industry.
The chairman of the LSC, Ursula Russell, said this: "Merging the two sites will also see an end to wasteful competition between the two colleges in central Warwickshire and improve the ability for the college to work in partnership to deliver the 14-19 agenda with the LEA and schools, also helping to attract a whole new group of Rugby based learners."
ΜύBut what does that mean?
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So what does this mean in simpler terms? The colleges say it will mean more a varied - and much stronger - curriculum, better student support and improved facilities.
Among those improved facilities, thanks to more money generated by the merger, will be a new college building in Rugby, built on the site of the cattle market and to be opened by 2006. There will also be investment in the current site to improve facilities in the short term.
There will also be more courses available in Rugby too like plumbing, motorbike engineering and mechanical services.
ΜύDo you think college mergers are the way forward? Instead of competing with each other for students, should they just join forces and invest the extra money into courses and resources?
Or do you think mergers will just reduce competition and introduce complacency? Only time will tell, but if you have any thoughts on the issue, email us at the address on the left.
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