After a meeting of key stakeholders in the Telford campus of Lincoln University yesterday, Telford Farm board of management chairman Murray Pilgrim said it was hoped a "definite candidate" to take over Telford would be known before the 2017 semester started.
"We’re hoping to have some answers, but not necessarily a provider in place by then. But we will have a definite candidate.
"We’ve been negotiating with two institutions to take over what Lincoln have been delivering on the Telford campus.
"We just need to take a backseat now for a couple of weeks while they go away and do their facts and figures, to see whether they can make it stack up to take over."
It is believed Taratahi Agricultural Training Centre, which is based near Masterton, and the Southland Institute of Technology, in Invercargill, are the two institutions to have expressed an interest in taking over Telford.
Key stakeholders met yesterday to develop solutions which will ensure the facility’s survival and future success.
The meeting, jointly hosted by Lincoln University and the Tertiary Education Union, was chaired by Clutha Southland MP Todd Barclay, and brought together Lincoln University chancellor Tony Hall, vice-chancellor Prof Robin Pollard, Tertiary Education Union representative Kris Smith, Telford-Division interim director Joan Grace, Clutha Mayor Bryan Cadogan and Mr Pilgrim.
The stakeholders at the meeting acknowledged an informal offer of Tertiary Education Commission SAC 3&4 funding for the continuation of residential programmes in 2017, which provisionally allows for 235 full-time-equivalent students.
Also noted at the meeting was the due diligence into Telford being conducted by alternative education providers, which may result in Telford programmes being transferred to these providers, as set out in change proposals put forward by Lincoln University last week.
Tertiary Education Union national president Dr Sandra Grey said there was a lot of positive discussion during the meeting, but there were issues where not all parties agreed.
"Where we [the union] differ at the moment is that we disagree with the current change management process.
"We don’t think Lincoln should make any changes to the provision of Telford division until the deal has been signed on who’s going to take over the division.
"Then is the time to look at what courses stay, what courses might not stay, what courses are doubled up with other institutions — that’s when you make changes, once you’ve found a new business partner."
The participants have committed to work together constructively, provide clear lines of communication and information sharing in order to find ways Telford can not only survive but flourish in the future.
