In a new research report for the National Centre for Vocational Education Research, CIT chief executive Adrian Marron blamed external pressures and the rigid structure of the current Vocational Education and Training sector for derailing a good outcome when the merger was first proposed in 2011.

“Perhaps the key lesson learned is, that all things considered and recognising the integrity of the stakeholders involved, negotiations are best left to the organisations themselves. Institution to institution is the only way to determine whether a commonality of vision and value system exist, such that trust relationships are possible and collaboration becomes a realised outcome,” he said.

Both the Hawke review of the ACT public service and the Bradley review of a merger between the CIT and UC recommended the institutions come under a single entity in 2011.

But the ACT government could not bring both parties together with CIT management and staff particularly resistant to the idea on the basis that it appeared more like a takeover by the UC.

The government then called for the institutions to jointly-deliver pre-tertiary qualifications under the banner the University of Canberra Institute of Technology, rather than a merger. But the idea was later abandoned.

In his article, Mr Marron said, “In this story there are no villains and no one was jilted; there was mainly goodwill as the journey progressed, but in reality when faced with a duty to protect the interests of institutions - even more so when there is some tension between the idea at hand and the legitimate concerns of one’s staff, students and institution - goodwill is not enough.”

Mr Marron blamed the plan’s failure on a number of issues, including a lack of shared purpose, feasibility and business planning.

“We needed a common communication plan and a robust joint negotiating and planning apparatus. Clearly, if the feasibility and business planning are not done, then it is difficult to make a decision that will withstand scrutiny. We also need to ensure that the act of collaborating does not become more important than the outcomes of collaborating.”

But he then admitted that the experience had given the CIT an “opportunity to imagine futures; they may have been idealistic and even unrealistic, but they gave us the chance to disseminate ideas publicly, identify the obstacles and continue to provide strategic nutrition for the next phase of the CIT’s journey”.

He now believed “There is no doubt that the Canberra Institute of Technology’s future is going to be built on collaboration and we take inspiration from the lessons learned from the work done and from the models imagined; they are generating the ideas that will take us into the future. A vital part of that future is the relationship with the University of Canberra.”

In response to the article, University of Canberra Vice-Chancellor Stephen Parker said, “As we said at the time, the University of Canberra supported the recommendations in the Hawke and Bradley reports but we now regard the matter as water under the bridge.

“We have no further comment other than to say that following the abandonment of the merger proposal the University entered into a fresh MOU with CIT as a sign of our continued wish to collaborate. We continue to have a number of pathways in place to give CIT students the opportunity to study at the University.”

The UC just last month announced it was founding The Australian Polytechnic Network – in partnership with Melbourne’s Holmesglen Institute, Northern Sydney Institute, South Western Sydney Institute and Brisbane’s Metropolitan South Institute of TAFE.

The announcement followed the decision last month by the Minister for Tertiary Education Craig Emerson, to approve Commonwealth Supported Places for delivery of UC degrees at the network member campuses from 2014 with the UC also receiving a $26 million Commonwealth injection to assist its restructure of course offerings and achieve national reach.

Professor Parker said he was interested in expanding the network further.

Mr Marron said the CIT would, in the future, be “selectively and carefully promiscuous perhaps, but the result will benefit the community and the clients we serve. At the risk of stretching the metaphor of matrimony we were clearly not enough in love to get married. Next time perhaps it will be romance first and we will not assume that because we have lived next door to our neighbours for some time we know each other intimately. We also recognise that, as Jane Austen said, ‘Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance’.”

Mr Marron has taken extended leave due to health issues and was not able to be contacted.