Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard this week announced a $2 million study into the proposed merger of Charles Sturt University and Southern Cross University to create a new national university.

However, Prof Battersby said a national university did not fit with the government's pre-election commitments.

"Prior to the election, the one-size-fits-all approach to the regions was out of favour with the Labor Opposition," Prof Battersby said.

"The prime minister has always been adamant that, as a nation, we must capitalise on the creativity within individual regional communities and respond to local needs."

"The deputy prime minister, in allocating the $2 million to this project, seems to be signalling that it is worth looking at the feasibility of a one-size-fits-all regional university for the nation."

Prof Battersby said it appeared the Bradley Review _ which looked at higher education in Australia _ had played a large role in initiating the study.

He said it was questionable whether a national university would deliver on this commitment.

"Even without the benefit of a $2 million feasibility study, it is clear that there are likely to be prohibitive costs associated with merging existing regional universities, consolidating the regional campuses of some metropolitan

universities and then integrating systems, libraries, courses and programs, staff and students into a new entity and then establishing its mandate, credibility and reputation."