Further and higher education institutions to merge

* Further and higher education institutions in both the north and south of Ireland have come together in a unique bid to share resources.

A pioneering conference in Armagh, organised by the Confederation of Student Services in Ireland, Queen's University Belfast and Ulster University, has set up a nine-member steering group including academics and administrators which aims to promote staff: student exchanges, foster links between further and higher education institutions, develop collaborative research and extend information technology links.