“Andy West wants to be a university and move money from education to business activity.” That’s the sentiment of the University of Canterbury’s Professor Jack Heinemann on AgResearch CEO Andy West’s motivations in promoting the merger of AgResearch and Lincoln University.

“What I haven’t heard is anyone saying how this merger changes anything accept the size of the institution and the range of public moneys into which Andy West can tap. How does it suddenly grow the economy by the claimed additional $1 billion per year? I have the utmost respect for the scientists in both institutions, but merging a university with an agribusiness is no different from merging a university with Haliburton or General Motors,” Professor Heinemann contests.

Meanwhile, at Lincoln University, Associate Professor Jon Hickford says career researchers don’t become academic supervisors just because they have got a PhD.

“The assumption that career researchers can move into tertiary teaching is perhaps flawed and needs more analysis. You need a range of professional skills to drive good teaching, supervision, and mentoring. It’s a bloody difficult job.”

Dr Hickford believes there are many potentially positive benefits from the proposed merger, but the details around how the two sets of academic staff will do their jobs need more explanation.

TEU branch president Dr Lyn Boddington also believes this is an area that needs more focus:

“Perhaps most important is how research currently done within Lincoln University will fit alongside the contract type of research done at AgResearch.  As we go through the merger process, this is shaping up to be one of the key areas that will need very careful consideration.  It is an issue that our TEU members are very concerned about.  The success of any merger will in part be determined on whether an outcome is achieved that satisfies the need for ongoing “blue skies” research within universities.”