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One of Britain's leading independent research bodies, the Policy Studies Institute, is set to merge with the University of Westminster in the new year. Pamela Meadows, PSI director, said that discussions were "at a late stage", but nothing was yet definite. Ms Meadows said independent research institutes were now in a much toughercompetitive environment because of the way universities had responded to the incentives provided by the research assessment exercise. Under the merger PSI would retain its identity and location near Regent's Park, London, but its infrastructure base would be provided by the university.