This was an April Fool’s story
Correspondence between the University of Manchester (UoM) and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) has been leaked to The Mancunion, via an anonymous source, which reveals plans for a merger between the two establishments.
The unification would result in a student body of nearly 80,000 students, making it the largest student population in the country.
Though the news may seem surprising at first, UoM has already experienced an amalgamation of institutions. In 2004, Victoria University of Manchester and University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST) merged to form what we know as the University today.
The Mancunion’s source has expressed hopes that the merger will create “a very robust new institution enriched by the heritage of the earlier two”.
One supporting argument for the merger is the close proximity of the universities. Given that many facilities are already shared and that UoM and MMU are adjacent to one another, the merging of the campuses would be very feasible.
The universities are no stranger to sharing, given that many degrees in both institutes require facilities from both campuses. At UoM for instance, architecture requires the theory component to be undertaken on campus, whilst the technical aspects demand MMU facilities and resources. Creating one cohesive campus could be beneficial for students by widening the scope of degrees available at each institution.
The emails, which we are unable to share at this time, explained that another the key reason behind the merger was that it will improve the integration of arts courses into academia. MMU is celebrated for its creative courses and vocational degrees whereas UoM is recognised as a research institute.
Even though both universities have their strengths, there has been a long-standing rivalry over which degree is more highly accredited. Though widely harmless, the rivalry can at times be upsetting and even damaging to the mindsets of students. The formation of a “Super-Uni” – as it has been referred to in subject lines – would hopefully dissipate any competition, and create a more inclusive and unified campus.
It is not yet known what the new official title of the ‘Super Uni’ will be declared. Head to our Instagram story to vote on what you think it should be!
This is a breaking news story – more to follow soon on this April Fools day ;), click here for more
