Central College Glasgow has called for four of the city's colleges to merge into a single super college for the centre of Glasgow.

Under the proposal Central College, Glasgow Metropolitan College, Stow College, Glasgow College of Nautical Studies would merge into one large institution. The college's Board of Management made the recommendation in its formal response to the proposed merger of two of the colleges, Metropolitan and Stow.

The board believes a four way merger is in the best interests of all stakeholders in allowing the four institutions to focus their collective energies, enabling access and articulation to further and higher education for more students and also securing better value for money. The college principal Paul Little has also backed the board's position as an opportunity to deliver best outcomes for students, staff and stakeholders.

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The colleges are already set to share a £300m super campus on Cathedral Street and Thistle Street having agreed in May to establish a specialist company, New Campus Glasgow, to procure it. The campus is expected to be completed by 2016 and accommodate about 2000 staff and 50,000 students. Following various merger talks between the individual colleges Central now favours a fusion approach.

Chair of the college board, Eric Tottman-Traynor has contacted John McClelland, Chair of the Scottish Funding Council to ask him to hold a special meeting of the four city centre colleges to discuss the proposed amalgamation.

(GK/JM)