Shorten enlists community organisations and figures in UC-CIT merger bid

Key points

• University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Bill Shorten is asking organisations and prominent community figures to back his proposal to merge the university with the Canberra Institute of Technology. He has sent them cover letters and an information kit to help them make submissions to a Legislative Assembly inquiry into CIT's governance.
• Submissions close at the end of October. Chief Minister Andrew Barr has already voiced support for the merger push.
• Mr Shorten argues that a merged institution could offer cheaper, more competitive courses and remove duplication.