Finance) degree began in 1987, but faced a setback when the Australian Society of Accountants initially refused accreditation to the course that June, despite it having the approval of the Higher Education Board. By September 1987, the college was reported to have a student population of 3,000, rising to 4,300 in 1989. The college began offering its first master's degree (Education) in 1988. Amalgamation In September 1988, amidst a national push for amalgamations in tertiary education, the college was one of four Colleges of Advanced Education targeted by the state Office of Higher Education for a proposed merger with the University of New South Wales. The college council unanimously rejected the proposal, instead pushing for individual university status. It did not join the initial merger of the Hawkesbury Agricultural College and Nepean College of Advanced Education to form the University of Western Sydney at its commencement on 1 January 1989, but in June 1989 the college council resolved to support joining the university as its third network member. It formally amalgamated with the University of Western Sydney on 1 November 1989. The former campuses of the Macarthur Institute continue to operate as the Bankstown and Campbelltown campuses of the renamed Western Sydney University. References Defunct universities and colleges in Australia Colleges of Advanced Education Educational institutions established in 1974 Educational institutions disestablished in 1989 1974 establishments in Australia 1989 disestablishments in Australia Predecessor institutions of Western Sydney University