In such a case, we will want to assess carefully the impact of merger in helping restore financial health and viability. An institution seeks support from our Restructuring and Collaboration Fund to meet transitional costs associated with implementing the merger. In such a case, we will approve and monitor the business plan covering the use of those funds. Principles underpinning the assessment of merger proposals 7. Access for students to higher education is maintained or improved.
Financial health is maintained or improved and financial risk reduced.
The proposed changes do not unacceptably reduce the diversity of the sector as a whole. We seek to support diversity in higher education. As one facet of that, we envisage a variety of constitutional arrangements in the sector, and seek to ensure that our funding and other mechanisms do not stand in the way of innovative arrangements, nor hinder the reasonable aspirations of institutions. We have no preconception that mergers are the inevitable end-product of forms of strategic collaboration between institutions. There are many forms of collaboration other than merger.