KUALA LUMPUR: The Higher Education Ministry has decided not to go ahead with the proposal to merge
Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) with Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA).
Its minister Datuk Dr Noraini Ahmad, said the decision was made by the cabinet after taking into account several factors as well as current challenges.
She said the factors include significant focus differences, coordination of existing academic faculties and research institutions, as well as taking into account the readiness of both universities in establishing their own identity as a merged new institution of higher learning.
"The ministry takes seriously the views of every university member in implementing this merger and its impact, especially on student development in both universities.
"The merger of UMT and UniSZA would also undermine the success achieved in creating an identity and expanding the respective focus of their efforts at the international level.
"The merger is also expected to incur high costs. Therefore, it will not be pursued by the government," she said in a statement today.
The Office of the Director-General of Higher Education in a statement previously reported that the government had agreed in principle over the proposed merger of UMT and UniSZA, after a decision on the matter was reached at a Cabinet meeting on Sept 4 last year.
The merger development was announced in a joint statement by UMT Vice-Chancellor, Prof Datuk Dr Nor Aieni Mokhtar and UniSZA Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr Hassan Basri Awang Mat Dahan in Kuala Terengganu. It saw the two institutions of higher learning agree in principle through the full merger concept.
Subsequently, a special committee was formed comprising representatives of administrators, lecturers, students and representatives of various agencies, ministries and stakeholders, to hasten the merger which was expected to take six months to finalise.
The proposed merger however, drew opposition from many parties, including Cuepacs and the student council body.
