Hint goes for fusion – Trønder-Avisa

The Board of Hint went unanimously to follow the principal Steinar beak proposal to go into negotiations with the University of Nordland (Uin) and Nesna to establish a new university in central Norway.

Assuming that the negotiations succeed, the Board has – against five votes – agreed to a merger with effect from 1 January 2016.

– Strengthened for the Future

After an hour and forty minutes long debate, could chairman Bjørg Tørresdal putting stroke for an important choice of route for Hint.

– I think this will strengthen us in the future, says Tørresdal.

Hint has worked with a future merging with other colleges and universities for a long time. The desire for a trøndersk collaboration with Sør-Trøndelag University College and NTNU has proved impossible to reach the finish with, and Hint have therefore concentrated on looking north – in addition to stand alone.

– Mitt heart says that there had been good to go alone. We are a medium sized university with good results, with a clear profile, and an important profession educates in Nord-Trøndelag. The reason I can not choose it, is that tomorrow is not equal to the present day, says the chairman.

– Important not to spend too long

The Parliament has given a clear message: they want that something is done with college and university structure in Norway.

The rate of fusion work was one of the points that were most discussed.

– The timing of the merger is a part of choice of route, even if the choice of route is the direction we should go, says Tørresdal, who defend a merger already from January.

She makes it clear that it is important to keep the speed up in the ongoing process. Others thought the pace now screwed up, and that there is a need to apply some pressure on the brakes.

– There are lots we must do before things are in place. Maybe we lose not so much time if we make this decision in the autumn, argued employee representative Grete Bøgh Naess.

The employees’ unions gave in a note to the Board was informed that it would be appropriate to use more time.

– Our employees are our most important resource. If we get a process in which the employees do not feel taken care of, the process goes out of the work area, said Reidar Viken, who also voted against the merger from 2016.

– We are losing time and strength in forhandlingspoisjonen by to spend more time. We are not stronger of postponing the decision, said Professor Knut Ingar Westeren.

Thursday’s meeting was the last current Board had. From August 1 a the new board in place. Already on 30 October, the plan is that the merger becomes a reality – if the negotiations leading up.

– We make choice of route, the new board puts its stamp on it, illustrates Tørresdal.

Here is the decision by the board:

1. Board agrees that HiNT enter negotiations with the University of Nordland on the establishment

of a new university in central Norway. The premise of controlling matter to be guiding principles for

negotiations.

2. Board approves merger with the University of Nordland and Nesna with effect

from 01.01.2016 on condition that the negotiations leading to a merger

that the new board can approve autumn 2015.

3. The board gives the chairman the authority to establish negotiating and add a plan

negotiations with the University of Nordland.